Former Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz has died at the age of 37, the team announced on Tuesday. Matusz, a former first-round pick, played for the Orioles from 2009 to 2016.
In a social media post, the team described Matusz as “an important part of our clubhouse” and praised him for his passion for baseball and the Baltimore community.
“He dedicated his time to connecting with every fan he could, was a beloved teammate and always had a smile on his face,” the team wrote in the post.
Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz.
Brian was a fixture in our clubhouse from 2009 to 2016 and was loved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unparalleled. He dedicated his time to connecting with every fan he… pic.twitter.com/wNN3WkO8l4
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) January 8, 2025
A native of Colorado, Matusz was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth round of the 2005 Draft but opted to play baseball at the University of San Diego. He was subsequently selected fourth overall by Baltimore in the 2008 MLB Draft. Matusz made his MLB debut in August 2009 and spent seven seasons in the Orioles’ bullpen.
Matusz appeared in 280 games for the Orioles from 2009 to 2016, with an overall ERA of 4.92.
After being traded by the team in 2016 and quickly released by the Atlanta Braves, Matusz briefly played for the Chicago Cubs in 2016. His last MLB game – on July 31, 2016, where he started – qualified him to receive a World Series Championship ring. when the Cubs took home the championship that season.
