Former Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz likely died from drug overdose, according to police report
BALTIMORE - Former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz likely died from a drug overdose, according to our media partner The Baltimore Banner, citing a report from the Phoenix Police Department.
Matusz, 37, died on January 7, the Baltimore Orioles announced.
According to the police report obtained by The Banner, Matusz was found dead by his mother on the couch in the upstairs loft of his Arizona home with a white substance in his mouth, and a lighter, straw and small square of paraphernalia sometimes used to inhale drugs, including fentanyl, heroin and crack cocaine were found nearby.
The report also said Matusz told his mother he said "there is nothing left for me" and he used to "have it all," and was taken to the emergency room two days before he was found dead, The Banner reports.
According to the police report, Matusz was discharged from the hospital and told to seek mental health help, and he was taken to a behavioral health hospital, but was not admitted.
Matusz, a former first-round draft pick by the Orioles, played in Baltimore from 2009 until 2016. He transitioned to a full-time relief pitcher in 2013 when he appeared in 65 games, with a 2-1 record and a 3.53 ERA. Matusz's best season was in 2015 when he pitched 58 games and posted a 2.94 ERA.
For years, Matusz served with Maryland-based Casey Cares, a nonprofit that offers programs to families with critically-ill children.
"We are devastated by the news of Brian Matusz passing," Casey Cares said in a statement. "Brian Matusz has been a part of the Casey Cares family since 2009 and was a board member. He was such a vital part of our mission and in that time he touched so many lives with his kindness, warmth, and genuine heart."
