Jeremy Giambi, former MLB player who spent six seasons in the majors, dies at 47

Former major-league slugger Jeremy Giambi died at his parents’ home in Southern California on Wednesday, his agent Joel Wolfe confirmed to multiple reporters, including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. He was 47.

Giambi was originally a sixth-round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in 1996. He broke into the big leagues with Kansas City as a September call up in 1998, and spent parts of two seasons with the Royals before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in Feb. 2000, where he teamed up with his older brother Jason for two seasons.

“He could take a teasing and give it back. It’s a tough shadow when your brother is Jason Giambi and he wore that with pride. He was well liked and fun loving,” longtime A’s executive Billy Beane told Shayna Rubin of the Mercury News.  

Jeremy spent 2000-01 as a productive lefty platoon corner outfielder and first baseman with the A’s, hitting .271/.369/.439 with 33 home runs in 745 plate appearances. Giambi is perhaps best remembered for being tagged out at the plate on Derek Jeter’s flip play in Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS.

Giambi was traded to the Phillies in May 2002, then to the Red Sox in December 2002. He authored a .241/.394/.461 line with 25 homers in 554 plate appearances with three teams from 2002-03 while batting injuries. Giambi played 26 minor-league games with the Dodgers and White Sox from 2004-05 before calling it a career.

In March 2005, Giambi admitted to using anabolic steroids, saying “It’s something I did. I apologize. I made a mistake.” He retired as a career .263/.377/.430 hitter with 52 home runs in 510 big-league games over the course of six seasons.