SOURCES SAY THE CAUSE OF DEATH OF FORMER SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS PITCHER MATT POBEREYKO WAS CARDIAC RELATED.
HECTOR GOMEZ OF MLB INSIDER SAYS THE 31-YEAR-OLD RELIEVER DIED OF A HEART ATTACK.
POBEREYKO SPENT PARTS OF THREE SEASONS WITH THE EXPLORERS FROM 2019 TO 2022.
HE HAD PITCHED IN THE MEXICAN LEAGUE, LEADING THE LEAGUE IN STRIKEOUTS, AND ALSO HAD PLAYED IN THE DOMINICAN WINTER LEAGUE THIS OFF-SEASON.
FAMILY MEMBERS SAY HE WAS AT HIS APARTMENT IN A CHICAGO SUBURB LAST FRIDAY WHEN HE WAS STRICKEN.
POBEREYKO HAD REJOINED THE EXPLORERS LAST AUGUST AS A STARTING PITCHER. STARTING FIVE GAMES AND PITCHING IN RELIEF IN ANOTHER ONE AFTER PREVIOUSLY PITCHING TWO SEASONS AS THE TEAMS CLOSER.
UPDATE 3:23 P.M. 2/27/23
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ONE OF THE BEST CLOSERS IN THE HISTORY OF THE SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS BASEBALL TEAM HAS DIED.
THE EXPLORERS ANNOUNCED THAT PITCHER MATT POBEREYKO (PO-BER-EE-KO) DIED FRIDAY AT THE AGE OF 31.
THE TEAM SAYS THE EXACT CAUSE OF DEATH IS STILL UNKNOWN.
POBEREYKO SPENT PARTS OF THREE SEASONS WITH THE EXPLORERS FROM 2019 TO 2022.
HE APPEARED IN 74 TOTAL GAMES FOR THE X’S, TOTALED 101.1 INNINGS WITH A 2.75 E-R-A. POBEREYKO WAS A PREMIER CLOSER, COLLECTING 38 SAVES AND 153 STRIKEOUTS WITH ONLY 25 WALKS.
MANAGER STEVE MONTGOMERY SAYS “POBEREYKO TRULY LOVED BEING AN EXPLORER AND BEING A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
HE WAS A FIERCE COMPETITOR AND WE WILL MISS HIM AS A BASEBALL PLAYER, BUT EVEN MORE SO AS A FRIEND.”
HE REJOINED THE TEAM LAST AUGUST AS A STARTING PITCHER. STARTING FIVE GAMES AND PITCHING IN RELIEF IN ANOTHER GOING 2-1 WITH A 1.73 ERA AND STRUCK OUT 42 BATTERS AND WALKED ONLY SEVEN.
