LOS ANGELES — Former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu was found dead, an apparent suicide in the wealthy suburb of Rancho Palos Verdes.
The 42-year-old Irabu was found at 5:25 p.m. MDT Wednesday, county sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Arriaga said.
Authorities are investigating his death “as an apparent suicide and hanging,” said Lt. Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County coroner’s investigations division. An autopsy will be performed today or Saturday.
Neighbors described Irabu as a quiet, unassuming man who had apparently grown despondent recently because of a split with his wife.
Irabu was billed as the Japanese version of Nolan Ryan when he arrived in the United States in 1997. But after an impressive major-league debut with the Yankees that summer, he never came close to fulfilling such lofty expectations.
Rather, he always wore the label that late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner stuck on him after Irabu failed to cover first base during an exhibition game: “Fat . . . toad.”
The right-hander finished 34-35 with a 5.15 ERA in six seasons in the majors. His best season was 1998, when he went 13-9 for the Yankees with an earned-run average of 4.06.
Denver Post wire services
