Baltimore Orioles pitcher Matt Harvey banned for 60 games for drug distribution
- Published
Los Angeles Angels players hold a tribute to former team-mate Tyler Skaggs, all wearing a jersey bearing his name and his playing number, 45, following his death in 2019
Baltimore Orioles player Matt Harvey has been suspended for 60 games after admitting to providing drugs to former Los Angeles Angels team-mate Tyler Skaggs, who later died.
Major League Baseball announced the suspension as part of an investigation into Skaggs' death.
Harvey testified in February to passing on oxycodone to Skaggs from former Angels employee Eric Kay.
Kay was convicted of supplying drugs and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Skaggs died aged 27 in a Texas hotel room in July 2019, the team staying there before a four-game series against Texas Rangers. A coroner's report said he had choked on his vomit while under the influence of fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol.
The court ruled that Kay, a former director of communications for the Angels, distributed a controlled substance resulting in death. He was also convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and will be sentenced in June.
Taking the stand in exchange for immunity, Harvey said he had received pills from Kay and then subsequently shared the oxycodone with Skaggs. Harvey also admitted during the trial to past cocaine usage.
The MLB's commissioner's office announced Harvey had been suspended without pay for violating the league's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The suspension has been backdated from 29 April and so Harvey could be eligible for selection from 8 July.