Hideki Irabu Death Confirmed Suicide

In a story that just keeps getting more depressing, it’s now been confirmed that Hideki Irabu’s death was a suicide.  The 42 year old hung himself in his Rancho Palos Verdes home.

The former starting pitcher was found dead Wednesday in his Los Angeles residence by a friend.  Reports surfaced yesterday that it was an apparent suicide, and a coroner has since confirmed that Irabu’s cause of death was hanging.

There was no note left, and authorities are hoping to learn more regarding the circumstances of the situation when toxicology reports return in six to eight weeks.

I took a look yesterday at Irabu’s major league career that was full of drama and unmet expectations.  The right hander maintained an ERA of 5.15 over his 6 years in the bigs.

Irabu last pitched in 2009 for the Long Beach Armada of the Independent League.  He started 10 games for the club, maintaining an ERA of 3.58 over 65.1 innings.

Irabu is survived by his wife, Kyonsu, and his two children.

For more on the Yankees, be sure to check out Yanks Go Yard.