Ex-Yankees pitcher busted as alleged drug kingpin
Journeyman starting pitcher Esteban Loaiza was arrested Friday in San Diego with over 20 kilograms of cocaine and/or heroin, according to police documents. That translates to over 44 pounds of heavy drugs.
Loaiza is being held in South Bay Detention Facility on $200,000 bail. His next court hearing is Wednesday. According to online records, Loaiza was arrested at 6 p.m. Pacific time Friday, and also is facing felony charges of possessing and transporting a controlled substance with intent to sell.
Loaiza spent 14 seasons in the major leagues, including a brief stint in 2004 with the Yankees. The 46-year-old Mexico native also pitched for the Pirates, Blue Jays, White Sox, Nationals, Athletics and Dodgers, and went 126-144 in his career. A two-time All-Star and the second-winningest Mexican pitcher in MLB history after Fernando Valenzuela, he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2003 — the year he started the All-Star Game — and earned $43.7 million as a pro.
Just a few weeks ago, Loaiza was spotted at Sox Fest in Chicago mingling with fans and signing autographs with Hall of Famer Frank Thomas.
“Greetings to everyone here with my friend and former teammate with the White Sox,” Loaiza wrote in the caption of an Instagram photo, showing him alongside Thomas.
Besides baseball, Loaiza is also known for appearing on the reality show, “I Love Jenni,” which starred his then-wife, singer Jenni Rivera. She died in a 2012 plane crash as the two were in the process of getting divorced.
The former hurler has had at least one other run-in with the law. Loaiza was charged with reckless driving and DUI in 2006, while he was playing for the Athletics.
He was pulled over early one morning for speeding after an officer caught him driving his Ferrari at speeds over 120 mph, according to the East Bay Times.
He reportedly failed his sobriety tests and spent the night in jail.
Loaiza’s agent, John Boggs, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he was unaware of the drug arrest and hadn’t spoken to him recently. It’s unclear Loaiza has hired a lawyer.
Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.
“I am shocked and saddened by the news and had no indication he would ever be in this type of situation,” Boggs told the Chronicle. “I don’t know how he would get himself involved in this, so it’s difficult to even comment on it.”