Overview

• The District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office in Florida determined Scott Sauerbeck died from acute influenza A with streptococcal pharyngitis, compounded by hypertensive heart disease.
• The medical examiner ruled the 53-year-old’s manner of death as natural, with no illicit substances found in his system according to toxicology results.
• Sauerbeck passed away in mid-February 2025 in Bradenton, Florida, with his death publicly announced by the Pittsburgh Pirates on February 20.
• A left-handed relief pitcher, Sauerbeck played seven seasons in Major League Baseball, most notably with the Pirates from 1999 to 2003, before retiring in 2008.
• The autopsy findings underscore the severe risks associated with influenza, particularly when pre-existing health conditions like hypertension are present.