Matt Harvey testified on Tuesday in the trial related to former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs’ death, and the free agent made some shocking revelations.
Federal prosecutors are aiming to prove that former Angels communications director Eric Kay provided the drugs that led to Skaggs’ overdose in July of 2019. Harvey, who was with the Angels that season, was granted immunity in the case. Kay’s defense team wants to establish that Skaggs got opioids from multiple sources, and Harvey admitted to being one of those sources.
Harvey testified that he gave Skaggs pink Percocet pills in June 2019. A text message that was shown in court showed that Skaggs asked Harvey for a pill so Skaggs could be “loosey goosey” for one of his starts. Harvey, who says he illegally used painkillers himself at the start of the 2019 season, admitted to providing Skaggs with oxycodone.
According to a text message shown in court, Skaggs asked Harvey for a pill to get him "loosey goosey".
He says he gave the remainder of a batch of pink percocet pills to Skaggs on June 27, 3-4 days before Skaggs' death.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 15, 2022
Harvey also said he got an oxycodone pill from Kay the day before Skaggs died but never took it.
Harvey said he spoke with Eric Kay on June 30, 2019, about getting a blue oxycodone pill. Harvey said he asked Kay to put in his locker.
He said he chose not to take the pill.
He woke up the next day to find out Skaggs was dead.
He then threw the blue pill away.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 15, 2022
Harvey also testified that he used cocaine.
Harvey says he discussed oxy with Skaggs in spring training '19. "A couple weeks within the camp we had talked about different experiences, whether it was partying or being injured or surgeries or what not."
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) February 15, 2022
Harvey says he was a partier. Prosecutor asks, what did you party with? Harvey: "Cocaine."
— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) February 15, 2022
Molfetta: While in New York "Did you lie about your use of cocaine?"
Harvey: "No one really asked."— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) February 15, 2022
While he has immunity from a legal standpoint, Harvey’s testimony will almost certainly have a negative impact on his baseball career. He had said previously that he wants to play in 2022.
Skaggs, who was 27, died after choking on his own vomit in a hotel room with fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol in his system on July 1, 2019. Before he was charged, Kay had admitted to federal investigators that he provided oxycodone to Skaggs and used opioids himself.
The family of Skaggs filed a lawsuit against the Angels last year accusing the organization of wrongful death and negligence.
Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
