Brian Matusz, a former Baltimore Orioles left-handed pitcher and first-round draft pick, has died, the ballclub announced Tuesday. He was 37.
Matusz pitched parts of eight seasons in Baltimore after the club selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft. He was on the Chicago Cubs during the 2016 season and had a single appearance in a memorable game.
“Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz,” the Orioles said in a statement. “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.”
Matusz died in Phoenix, where he had attended St. Mary’s High School, according to local reports. The cause of death had not yet been announced.
The Grand Junction, Colorado, native and University of San Diego standout was a highly touted prospect before his MLB debut in 2009. He had a breakout rookie campaign in 2010, finishing fifth in American League Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 4.30 ERA in 175 2/3 innings.
Matusz struggled as a starting pitcher in 2011 and 2012 — early in the Buck Showalter era — and was shifted to the bullpen as a left-handed specialist. He was a key member of Showalter’s bullpens from 2013 to 2015, posting a 3.32 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings.
Showalter heavily leaned on Matusz against left-handed hitters. He pitched in all five games of the Orioles’ AL Division Series loss to the New York Yankees in 2012, allowing only two hits and one run across the 4 1/3 innings.
Despite never realizing the hype bestowed upon him as a prospect, Matusz became a fan-favorite for his success against Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. Matusz faced “Big Papi” the second most of any better in his career and held the Hall of Famer to a .138 batting average, a .408 OPS and zero home runs. He struck Ortiz out 13 times in 30 plate appearances.
Matusz struggled to begin the 2016 season as he battled an injury to his rib cage. The Orioles traded him in May 2016 to the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitchers Brandon Barker and Trevor Belicek. He was released by the Braves and signed by the Cubs to a minor-league contract in June.
Matusz was called up to the Cubs on July 30 and started in the next day’s game against the Seattle Mariners. Making his first start in more than four years, the left-hander put the Cubs in a 6-0 hole in three innings by giving up three home runs. The game became notable when pitcher Jon Lester, as a pinch hitter in the 12th inning, won the game on a walk-off squeeze bunt.
It was the only game Matusz pitched in for the Cubs, and it was his final MLB appearance after being sent back down to Triple-A Iowa. Despite his lone start, he was given a World Series ring after the Cubs won in November 2016.
Matusz spent the beginning of the next season with the Arizona Diamondbacks Triple-A team but was released in May 2017 and never pitched in the major or minor leagues again.
The Chicago Tribune staff contributed to this report.
