“Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole, Brian Matusz,” the team wrote on X Tuesday. “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.”
The team did not report how he died.
Matusz, a left-hander, last pitched in the major leagues in 2016 to cap an MLB career that began in 2009. Matusz played high school baseball in Phoenix and collegiately at the University of San Diego, MLB.com noted.
He broke into the majors as a starter. He won a career-high 10 games in 2010 but a few seasons later settled into a reliever’s role. Over 2013, 2014 and 2015, Matusz made 186 appearances with an earned run average of 3.32 over that span.
He also pitched in the postseason for the Orioles in 2012, including five games against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, and in 2014.
All but one of his 280 appearances were with the Orioles. He closed out his career in a start for the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs in 2016.
