Jason Giambi - Jason Giambi - CC BY-SA
Former MLB athlete Jeremy Giambi, who played as an outfielder in Oakland Athletics, died by suicide at his parents’ house in Claremont, California. Giambi’s dead body was found by his mother, who had been fostering her grandchildren, on February 9.
According to the autopsy report by the Los Angeles Coroner Investigator Ricardo Lopez, Giambi was dead from a single gunshot wound to his heart. The 47-year-old ended his life by using a Winchester Model 94AE Level action repeating rifle to shoot himself in the chest.
As per the report, Giambi left a suicide note, but its content remains confidential. The officials didn’t suspect any foul play in his death.
Fatal head injury
Previously in August 2021, when Giambi was in the course of his duties as a pitching coach, he was struck in the head by a baseball, resulting in a broken zygomatic bone right below his eye. Giambi underwent surgery to repair the broken bone, but according to his mother, he acted differently afterward.
"She said since the injury, the decedent was very emotional, very negative and would let the smallest things ruin his day," Lopez said.
Witnesses also reported to investigators that after Giambi's injury, his personality changed. In the months following the procedure, another witness said Giambi experienced depression and paranoia.
However, Giambi was not diagnosed with anything after seeing a neurologist and having scans done, according to the report.
In addition, the report noted that Giambi used drugs (methamphetamine and Percocet) beginning in the 1990s and culminating with a stay in rehab during 2014-15. Despite a history of drug use, he did not have alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of his death as per the lab results.
Jeremy Giambi’s career
During his career in the major leagues, Giambi played for four different teams, including the Kansas City Royals (1998-1999), Oakland Athletics (2000-2002), Philadelphia Phillies (2002), Boston Red Sox (2003), and he spent two of those seasons alongside his older brother Jason Giambi, who was a five-time All-Star player.
One of Jeremy Giambi's most memorable moments in MLB history occurred in the 2001 season when he was tagged out at home by Derek Jeter's famous "flip" toss during Game 3 of the American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics. During his career with the Athletics, Giambi batted .283/.391/.450 with 12 home runs and 57 RBIs, helping the A's win 102 games. Over six MLB seasons, Giambi had an OPS of .807.
"We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi," the A's said.
Michael Lewis chronicled Oakland Athletics' 2002 season in the bestselling book "Moneyball," when Giambi was a member of the team. In May 2002, Giambi was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for utilityman John Mabry.
Giambi became one of the first notable major league players to admit to using steroids during his playing career after telling the Kansas City Star that he had knowingly used steroids. During the BALCO proceedings in December 2003, the testimony showed Jeremy and Jason Giambi confessed to taking performance-enhancing substances to the federal grand jury.
