Following his admissions in court on drug distribution, if Matt Harvey signs with an MLB team, he could face a 60-day (at the least) suspension.
It all stems from the Tyler Skaggs/Eric Kay trial, during which Harvey admitted to providing opioids to Skaggs on several occasions. That qualifies as distribution under MLB’s drug policy.
Harvey would be able to appeal any suspension.
“Once the trial is complete, MLB will conduct a comprehensive review of the potential violations of our drug program,” MLB said.
MLB’s hands are tied until it reaches a new labor agreement with the players’ association, though.
C.J. Cron, Mike Morin, Cam Bedrosian, and Blake Parker also testified Tuesday and Wednesday in the federal criminal trial of former Los Angeles Angels communications director Kay, who faces two felony charges of distributing fentanyl and causing Skaggs’ drug-related death in July 2019. Both sides will give closing arguments Thursday.
The players, except Parker, said Skaggs introduced them to Kay and said they could get oxycodone from him. They went on to describe how Kay sometimes left pills in their lockers and how some snorted or ingested the pills in the clubhouse.
Harvey received immunity from the government to testify; he may not be criminally prosecuted for anything he admitted to unless he perjured himself.
The other players testified to their own opioid use but did not say they ever distributed drugs to anyone else. Under MLB’s drug policy, those players would not face suspensions unless they previously violated the policy regarding drugs of abuse.
