Former Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz likely died of a drug overdose, according to a report from the Phoenix Police Department acquired by The Baltimore Banner.

Matusz, 37, was found dead in his Arizona home on Jan. 6 by his mother, Elizabeth, who went to his house to check on him. After he didn’t answer the door, she entered through a bathroom window and found Brian on his back on the couch in the upstairs loft, cold to the touch with a white substance in his mouth, according to the report. A lighter, straw and a small square of aluminum foil, paraphernalia sometimes used to inhale drugs such as fentanyl, heroin and crack cocaine, were found on the floor near Matusz’s right hand.

There were no apparent injuries, trauma or signs of foul play, police said.

The incident is being handled as a death investigation and Matusz’s remains were recovered by the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, police said. The case is currently sealed. Families can petition the court to seal the report and other records following the investigation, a Maricopa County spokesperson said, and the Office of the Medical Examiner was informed that process has begun. They are awaiting direction from the court.

According to the report, Elizabeth Matusz told police that her son made comments like “there is nothing left for me” and that he used to “have it all.” On Jan. 4, two days before he was found dead, Elizabeth took her son to the emergency room. The reason for the visit is redacted in the report.

He was discharged later that day and was advised to seek the help of a mental health professional. Elizabeth Matusz brought him to the Banner Behavioral Health Hospital, but he was not admitted.

Brian Matusz, whose phone went missing at the hospital, returned to his parents’ house and then to his own residence. On Jan. 6, Elizabeth Matusz was unable to reach her son without his phone, which prompted her decision to go to his house.

Brian Matusz had a history of substance use — the specific substance or substances he used are also redacted — but had been clean for approximately eight months, Elizabeth Matusz told police. He used alcohol “only lightly” and did not use tobacco, she told investigators.

Brian Matusz was picked by the Orioles fourth overall in the 2008 draft and made his MLB debut for the team a year later. A highly touted prospect, Matusz excelled in his first full season as a starter in 2010 but was moved to the bullpen in 2012 after a poor 2011 season.

He never stopped seeing himself as a starter, former manager Buck Showalter said, even after he found success as a reliever. He pitched in seven playoff games for Baltimore and had a 3.93 ERA in 249 2/3 innings from 2012 to 2015.

Matusz’s major league career ended in 2016 after the Orioles traded him to the Braves, who then designated him for assignment. He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs later that season, earning a World Series ring for his one appearance with the big league club.

Matusz tried to make comebacks, signing a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in 2017 and playing in the Mexican League and Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2019 and organizing tryouts with various clubs, but he never got back to the majors.

Matusz struggled finding his identity after his playing days ended, according to his former manager and a friend, but remained active in Casey Cares Foundation, a nonprofit that supports critically ill children, and picked up golf. It took him a few years to figure out what he wanted to do next, but former Oriole Jerry Hairston Jr., who befriended Matusz, noted that he loved baseball and wanted to find a way to get involved again.

People experiencing mental health or substance use crises can call or text 988 or visit 988LifeLine.org at any time to connect with a trained counselor.