Some sad news has come out of the MLB community as former pitcher Brian Matusz of the Orioles has died at the age of 37. Matusz, selected fourth overall in the MLB Draft, gained accolades for his reliable left-handed relief work on playoff teams under Buck Showalter. According to MASN’s Roch Kubatko, the talented pitcher would have celebrated his 38th birthday in February. He passed away this morning.
MLB Grieves the Passing of Former Orioles Pitcher Brian Matusz
Brian Matusz, the former left-handed pitcher who spent the majority of his career with the Baltimore Orioles, was selected in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft, made a significant impact on the field over his eight seasons in Major League Baseball, pitching for the Orioles and Chicago Cubs.
“A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, 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.”
Matusz, who was born in Grand Junction, Colorado, was an exceptional talent at the University of San Diego and was then selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft by the Orioles. Just over a year later, he made his MLB debut, surrendering one run in five innings, which marked the beginning of his profession. The best season for Matusz was in 2010 when he started 32 games, posting a 4.30 ERA, and finished fifth in the voting for American League Rookie of the Year. The injury bug, however, turned around his promising future.
Constantly struggling with injuries, he moved into a relief role in 2012 and pitched there for the remainder of his career. It was during this time that the Orioles made history as the first winning season in 14 years with a playoff berth since 1997 by homegrown talents as Matt Wieters, Nick Markakis, and Jim Johnson. One of the most critical aspects of this exciting time for the franchise was Matusz’s role in the bullpen.
Over the years spanning from 2013 to 2015, Matusz made his mark in the Baltimore Orioles’ bullpen by gearing up with stunning performance stats. He had an ERA of 3.53 or better in each of these years. However, that was by the end of his career with Baltimore as in 2016, Matusz got traded to the Atlanta Braves, only for the team to release Matusz without facing him in a game. Later he came back to major league baseball with the Chicago Cubs, but after that went on to finish off his career in the Triple-A system, Mexico, and independent ball.
In total, Matusz made 280 career appearances, starting 69 games. He posted a 4.92 ERA across 528 2/3 innings, earning 27 wins and recording 462 strikeouts.
Matusz was also known for his community involvement, particularly with the Casey Cares Foundation, which supports critically ill children. His legacy goes beyond the baseball field, with many remembering him for his kindness and generosity.
Former Orioles pitcher Matt Hobgood shared an emotional tribute on social media, stating, “Just heard the news about Brian Matusz passing away this morning. This is awful…he was one of the first people to call me after I signed in 09’. 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.”
MLB fans and former teammates alike will remember Matusz for his contributions on and off the field.
