Former Baltimore Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz dies at 37, no cause of death announced

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Former Baltimore Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz dies at 37, no cause of death announced

2025-01-09 11:26 Last Updated At：11:31

BALTIMORE (AP) — Brian Matusz, the left-handed pitcher who spent eight seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Baltimore Orioles as they returned to prominence a decade ago, has died. He was 37.

The Orioles and the University of San Diego announced Matusz’s death Tuesday night, with USD saying it received word from Matusz’s family. They did not announce a cause of death, though it happened in Arizona.

The Phoenix police department confirmed on Wednesday night that it responded to a dead body call at 2:45 p.m. on Monday and found Matusz. The department said the incident is being handled as a death investigation and the case is pending findings by a medical examiner.

“Our hearts are heavy tonight as we mourn the passing of former Oriole Brian Matusz,” the Orioles said. “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 Orioles drafted Matusz with the fourth overall pick in 2008 out of San Diego.

“Brian was one of the best players to ever wear a Torero uniform,” San Diego coach Brock Ungricht said. “His dedication to the USD community and passion for the game of baseball were evident to all who knew him. Brian’s unexpected passing leaves a void in our hearts, but his legacy will continue to inspire us, both on and off the field. We will forever be grateful for his friendship and unwavering support of San Diego baseball."

Matusz made his major league debut in 2009 and was a starter until shifting to the bullpen down the stretch in 2012. That was the season Baltimore earned a wild card for its first postseason appearance in 15 years.

In 2014, Matusz went 2-3 with a 3.48 ERA in 63 relief appearances as the Orioles won the AL East.

Baltimore traded Matusz to Atlanta early in the 2016 season, and he eventually caught on with the Chicago Cubs, making one start for them that year in what would be his final big league appearance.

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Hollywood Hills fire breaks out as deadly wildfires burn out of control across Los Angeles area

2025-01-09 11:23 Last Updated At：11:31

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A fast-moving fire in the Hollywood Hills erupted Wednesday night as more evacuations were ordered for Los Angeles residents and fire crews battled three other major blazes that killed at least five people.

The Sunset Fire was burning near the Hollywood Bowl and other iconic landmarks in the Hollywood Hills.

Winds were easing and firefighters from across the state were relieving exhausted crews, but the danger was far from over. As officials provided an update on the fires, a new blaze broke out in the Hollywood Hills, and evacuation orders were also extended to Santa Monica.

More than 1,000 structures, mostly homes, have been destroyed, and more than 130,000 people are under evacuation orders in the metropolitan area, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, a number that continues to shift as new fires erupt.

A thick smoke wafted over many parts of Los Angeles. More than half a dozen schools in the area were either damaged or destroyed, including Palisades Charter High School, which has been featured in many Hollywood productions, including the 1976 horror movie “Carrie” and the TV series “Teen Wolf,” officials said.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said firefighters from across California and elsewhere had arrived to help along with air operations that were dousing flames. She warned they still faced “erratic winds,” though not of hurricane force like Tuesday evening, when much of the destruction occurred.

In Pasadena, Fire Chief Chad Augustin said between 200 and 500 structures have been damaged or lost from the Eaton Fire that started Tuesday night.

He said the city's water system was stretched and was further hampered by power outages but even without those issues, firefighters would not have been able to stop the fire as embers blown by the intense winds ignited block after block.

“We were not stopping that fire last night," he said. "Those erratic wind gusts were throwing embers for multiple miles ahead of the fire.”

On the Pacific Coast west of downtown Los Angeles, a major fire leveled entire blocks, reducing grocery stores and banks to rubble in the Pacific Palisades, a hillside area along the coast dotted with celebrity homes and memorialized by the Beach Boys in their 1960s hit “Surfin’ USA.”

More than 1,000 structures were destroyed in the Palisades fire, the most destructive in the modern history of LA. Many people were hurt, including first responders, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.

The scope of the destruction was just becoming clear: Block after block of California Mission Style homes and bungalows were reduced to nothing but charred remains dotted by stone fireplaces and blackened arched entryways. Ornate iron railing wrapped around the smoldering frame of one house. The apocalyptic scenes spread for miles.

Swimming pools were blackened with soot, and sports cars slumped on melted tires.

As flames moved through his neighborhood, Jose Velasquez sprayed down his Altadena home with water as embers rained down on the roof. He managed to save their home, which also houses their family business of selling churros, a Mexican pastry. Others weren't so lucky. Many of his neighbors were at work when they lost their homes.

“So we had to call a few people and then we had people messaging, asking if their house was still standing," he said. "We had to tell them that it’s not.”

Beyond the burned areas, residents worked wearing N95 masks, unable to escape the toxic smoke wafting over huge sections of the city.

The flames marched toward highly populated and affluent neighborhoods, including Calabasas and Santa Monica, home to California’s rich and famous. Hollywood stars.

Mandy Moore, Cary Elwes and Paris Hilton are among the stars who said Wednesday they had lost homes.

Billy Crystal and his wife Janice lost their home of 45 years in the Palisades Fire.

“We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away," the Crystals wrote in the statement.

In Palisades Village, the public library, two major grocery stores, a pair of banks and several boutiques were destroyed.

“It’s just really weird coming back to somewhere that doesn’t really exist anymore,” said Dylan Vincent, who returned to the neighborhood to retrieve some items and saw that his elementary school had burned down and that whole blocks had been flattened.

The fires have consumed a total of about 42 square miles (108 square kilometers) — nearly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.

Flames moved so quickly that many barely had time to escape. Police sought shelter inside their patrol cars, and residents at a senior living center were pushed in wheelchairs and hospital beds down a street to safety in the foothills northeast of LA.

In the race to get to safety in Pacific Palisades, roadways became impassable when scores of people abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot.

California’s wildfire season is beginning earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change, according to recent data. Rains that usually end fire season are often delayed, meaning fires can burn through the winter months, according to the Western Fire Chiefs Association,

Dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, which has not seen more than 0.1 inches (0.25 centimeters) of rain since early May.

The winds increased to 80 mph (129 kph) Wednesday, according to reports received by the National Weather Service. Forecasters predicted wind gusts of 35-55 mph (56 to 88 kph) which could rise higher in the mountains and foothills. Fire conditions could last through Friday.

President Joe Biden signed a federal emergency declaration after arriving at a Santa Monica fire station for a briefing with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who dispatched National Guard troops to help.

Several Hollywood studios suspended production, and Universal Studios closed its theme park between Pasadena and Pacific Palisades.

With an estimated 1,000 structures destroyed and the fire still active, the Palisades Fire is by far the city's most destructive in modern history, topping the Sayre fire in 2008 that destroyed just over 600 structures, according to statistics kept by the Wildfire Alliance, a partnership between the city’s fire department and MySafe:LA. Structures refers to homes and other buildings.

Southern California Edison shut off service to thousands because of safety concerns related to high winds and fire risks. More than 1.5 million customers could face shutoffs depending on weather conditions, the utility said.

Several Southern California landmarks were heavily damaged, including the Reel Inn in Malibu, a seafood restaurant. Owner Teddy Leonard and her husband hope to rebuild.

“When you look at the grand scheme of things, as long as your family is well and everyone’s alive, you’re still winning, right?” she said.

Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Watson reported from San Diego. Associated Press writers Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; Janie Har in San Francisco; Hallie Golden in Seattle; Christopher Weber and video journalist Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles; Ethan Swope in Pasadena; Brian Melley in London; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland; and Tammy Webber in Detroit contributed to this report.