Scott Sauerbeck, a former MLB pitcher originally drafted by the Mets, died on Tuesday, the Pirates announced.
He was 53.
The left-handed reliever died of a heart attack in Bradenton, Fla., according to Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
Sauerbeck, drafted by the Mets in 1994, was taken by the Pirates in the 1998 Rule 5 draft and pitched for them from 1999-2003, recording a 3.56 ERA across 341 appearances.
He was traded to the Red Sox during the 2003 season and then signed with Cleveland, but he missed the 2004 season with an injury.
Sauerbeck was released in the middle of the 2006 season and latched on with the A’s for the rest of the season, but he was cut that October and never appeared in the majors again.
He attempted to make a comeback with the Reds, signing a minor league deal in 2008, but never played in a game for them.
The lefty specialist still holds the Pirates record for games played by a pitcher in a single season, appearing in 78 contests in in 2002.
During his half-season with Boston, Sauerbeck pitched to a 6.48 ERA but made the postseason roster, pitching just once against the Yankees during Game 2 of the ALCS.
He walked Bernie Williams and allowed an RBI double to Jorge Posada before finally getting Nick Johnson to ground out and end the seventh inning.
His career ended with a 20-17 record and 3.82 ERA during his eight year career.
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