The baseball community is heartbroken after the sudden death of former Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs pitcher Yoervis Medina at the age of just 37. Medina, a Venezuelan pitcher, suffered a heart attack while driving in his home country, which caused him to lose control of his car, according to local reports.
The incident is believed to have taken place Thursday night in Naguanagua, where Medina's vehicle reportedly struck several parked cars after he became unresponsive behind the wheel. Emergency crews arrived at the scene, near the entrance to the Via Veneto Shopping Center parking lot, and found Medina slumped over in the driver's seat with no signs of life.
Shocking Death
Medina's death was confirmed by the Mariners, who released a statement on social media that read: "We are saddened to hear of the passing of former Mariners pitcher Yoervis Medina. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."
Medina spent four seasons in Major League Baseball, beginning with the Seattle Mariners, where he rose through the minor league ranks before making his debut in 2013.
That year, he pitched in 63 games, finishing with a 4–6 record and an impressive 2.91 ERA. The following season, he appeared in 66 games, solidifying his place in the Mariners' bullpen. In 2015, after 12 games with Seattle, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for catcher Welington Castillo.
Shot but Eventful Career
Medina only made five appearances for the Cubs, posting a 7.00 ERA and striking out seven batters over nine innings before being designated for assignment. Later that year, he was picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates and then traded to the Philadelphia Phillies a few months later for Jesse Biddle.
Although he continued to pitch in the Phillies' minor league system, he never made it back to the majors and was released in July 2016.
In the later stages of his career, Medina continued playing the game he loved, joining teams in Italy and the Czech Republic.
