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Originally Posted by Michael B

Former Los Angeles Angels infielder Luis Valbuena and former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jose Castillo died in a car crash Thursday in Venezuela, according to multiple reports.

Venezuelan news outlets El Emergente and Meridiano reported on the accident. The Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome, who covers Valbuena’s former team the Astros, confirmed the reports in the U.S.

A front office member of Luis Valbuena's Venezuelan winter ball team confirmed the former Astros third baseman was killed in a car accident in Venezuela on Thursday.


Valbuena, 33, and Castillo, 37, were playing winter ball in Venezuela and were teammates on the Cardenales de Lara, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Jeff Fletcher from the Orange County Register also verified the report and said their car hit a rock and went off the road. They were traveling after a game. Carlos Rivero, who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks briefly in 2014, was driving the car, according to The Register, but survived the accident.

An additional bit of information was released:

According to the latest reporting, this accident was set up by criminals. Castillo and Valbuena were looted after the crash took place, with two individuals surviving the horrific incident.

33 & 37 years of age. Very sad, and especially the way they died.

"The two Venezuelans were playing winter ball in their native country and took part in a game Thursday night. On their way home, it looks like they might have been targeted in a robbery. According to BeisbolPlay (via the Los Angeles Times), authorities believe the players and two other passengers -- who survived -- could have been targets of a criminal act. It seems like some groups in Venezuela throw rocks onto roads in order to disable vehicles and then rob those in the car."

The publication further reports that four suspects were arrested by police and had some of Valbuena and Castillo's personal belongings.