Former Baltimore Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz, the No. 4 pick in the 2008 MLB draft who spent almost his entire eight-year career with the Orioles, died Tuesday at age 37.
Matusz pitched in 279 games for Baltimore, making 68 starts. The only other major league team he played for was the Chicago Cubs, making a three-inning start on July 31, 2016.
“A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-16, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched,” the Orioles said in a statement. “He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he could, was a cherished teammate and always had a smile on his face.”
Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz.
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… pic.twitter.com/wNN3WkO8l4
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) January 8, 2025
No cause of death has been disclosed.
Matusz, who eventually became a reliever, was most known for his success against Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who went 4-for-29 (.138) with 13 strikeouts in his career against Matusz.
He pitched in both the 2012 and 2014 postseasons for the Orioles.
With an ERA of 12.00 in seven games, Baltimore traded Matusz to the Braves in May 2016, and Atlanta released him a week later. He signed with the Cubs, where he pitched in the minors except for the one big league start. His pitching career ended in 2019.
Matusz originally was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth round in 2005, but decided to go to the University of San Diego, where he won West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and was a two-time finalist for the Golden Spikes Award. He finished his college career as the school’s all-time leader in strikeouts, with 396.
Matusz would have been 38 on Feb. 11.