Longtime Major League Baseball pitcher Matt Harvey has been suspended 60 games for distributing a drug of abuse under Major League Baseball’s drug program, the league announced on Tuesday.
Currently playing for the Baltimore Orioles Triple-A affiliate, Harvey had admitted that he provided oxycodone to late Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs in federal court during the trial of Eric Kay. Harvey said that, along with using cocaine, he gave and received oxycodone from Skaggs. Harvey was granted immunity from criminal prosecution in exchange for his testimony at the trial, though that didn’t apply to MLB.
Harvey’s suspension is retroactive to April 29.
More on Matt Harvey's suspension: He's allowed to work out at the #orioles spring training complex and can pitch in simulated games on the back fields after the Florida Complex League season begins.
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) May 17, 2022
Once a promising young star for the New York Mets, Havey’s played for the team between 2012 and 2018 in a stint full of lots of promise and lots of problems. Since then, he’s bounced around the pros, playing for the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Orioles. After not being re-signed last year, he signed a minor-league deal with Baltimore in April.
The 33-year-old went 6-14 with a 6.27 ERA in 28 starts for the Orioles last season and his MLB career stands at 50–66 with a 4.42 ERA and 867 strikeouts. He was named an All-Star in 2013 and NL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.
The news of the suspension wasn’t terribly surprising given what Harvey had admitted to. Still, it garnered a strong reaction from around the baseball world on social media.
the matt harvey story takes another twist https://t.co/PEURnGEIh3
— green man (@real_green_man) May 17, 2022
Matt Harvey’s testimony helped convict the person responsible for Skaggs’ deaths
in doing so, he implicated himself knowing he’d likely be suspended. that’s real. https://t.co/2DHOacUhvQ
— Tim Ryder (@TimothyRRyder) May 17, 2022
What ended up happening to Matt Harvey is an absolute tragedy. Just so depressing.
— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) May 17, 2022
This is because of the testimony he was compelled to give at Eric Kay’s trial in February, related to the death of Tyler Skaggs in 2019. https://t.co/qN7SaGYN5k
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) May 17, 2022
O's Mike Elias on Matt Harvey's suspension: "We support all aspects of MLB's Joint Drug Prevention/Treatment Program & their ruling in this particular case. I am glad that Matt now has the opportunity to put this part of his past behind him and pursue another shot with our org."
— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) May 17, 2022
Matt Harvey breaks my heart.
— Kate Feldman (@kateefeldman) May 17, 2022
[ESPN]
