Jen Royle, who was an MLB reporter for 13 years, mourned the stunning death of former Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz on Wednesday with a series of emotional messages on social media.
The cause of the 37-year-old Matusz’s death have yet to be determined, according to the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner.
“Don’t ever wish you had one more day, one more conversation, one more something/anything.
Do it now. 💔” Royle wrote Wednesday with a broken heart emoji on Instagram.
She included a collage of past photos of the pair, including a snapshot of his No. 17 Orioles jersey, which was signed, in 2010.
“Lost my best friend of 15 years… Nobody will ever fill this void,” Royle wrote on X. “Hopefully, one day, I’ll smile. Right now that seems impossible.”
AP
In a separate post, Royle added, “If you were lucky enough to have Brian as a friend, as many were, then you know he was your biggest fan… your ride or die.”
Phoenix police said they are investigating Matusz’s death after finding him deceased at a home on Monday.
“I can confirm we responded to a dead body call at a home near 44th Street and Campbell Avenue” at about 2:45 p.m. MT on Monday, Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky told NBC News.
“The deceased person found was indeed 37-year-old Brian Matusz. Currently, this incident is being handled as a death investigation.”
The Orioles and the University of San Diego, where the southpaw became the most accomplished pitcher in program history from 2006-08, announced his death Tuesday.
USD said in a press release that Matusz’s family first shared the news that day.
MLB Photos via Getty Images
Former Orioles manager Buck Showalter, who managed Matusz from 2010-16, said he spoke with many of Matusz’s Orioles teammates after learning of his death, adding that he was stunned by the news.
“Brian was engaging, smiled easily, had a lot of quiet self confidence,” Showalter told the Baltimore Sun on Wednesday. “I don’t know. I’m kind of gathering my thoughts on it right now. … It’s tough. We all as we get older get in touch with our mortality. But it’s just too young.”
“When something happens like this, I’ve always had a grip on reality, but this one, you kind of go, ‘Wow.’”