The former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz died at the age of 37 after an apparent drug overdose, according to police documents.
The Orioles announced Matusz’s death last week. According to a report by the Phoenix Police Department obtained by the Baltimore Banner, Matusz’s body was found by his mother, Elizabeth, on 6 January after she went to check on him in his home. A lighter, straw and a small square of aluminum foil, often used for ingesting drugs, were near his body. The report says police are not treating the death as suspicious.
The report says Elizabeth Matusz had taken her son to an emergency room a few days before she found his body. He was advised to seek mental health treatment upon his discharge. The report said Brian Matusz had a history of substance abuse but had been clean for the eight months prior to his death.
“Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz,” the team said in a statement last week. “A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched. He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he could, was a cherished teammate, and always had a smile on his face. Brian’s family and loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”
His former teammate Matt Hobgood remembered Matusz’s kindness. “This is awful. He was one of the first people to call me after I signed [for the Orioles],” Hobgood wrote on social media. “Took the time to call, encourage me and wish me well in my career and it always meant a lot that he did that. RIP, my friend.”
Baltimore selected Matusz with the No 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft after he was named as a West Coast Conference pitcher of the year during his time at the University of San Diego. He made his MLB debut in August 2009, winning his first start against the Detroit Tigers. He was also on Baseball America’s 2010 All-Rookie Team.
Over the next few years, he was moved to the bullpen, where he often excelled, and was eventually traded to the Atlanta Braves in 2016. He went on to win a World Series ring that season after being picked up by the Chicago Cubs.
Matusz’s last connection with an MLB team came in 2017 when he signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a move he said fulfilled “a childhood dream” after growing up in Phoenix.
In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
