BRADENTON, Fla. — Former Pirates pitcher Esteban Loaiza is facing felony drug charges after being arrested in San Diego on Friday.
Loaiza, 46, is jailed on charges of suspected possession of heroin and cocaine over 20 kilograms, possession of narcotics for sale, and possession and transportation of narcotics for sale. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, police deputies discovered 44 pounds of cocaine after searching the home Loaiza is renting in Imperial Beach.
The right-handed starter made his major league debut with the Pirates in 1995, recording a 5.16 ERA in 31 starts as a rookie. He spent three and a half seasons with the club before he was traded to the Rangers for Todd Van Poppel and Warren Morris in July 1998.
Loaiza was a two-time All-Star for the White Sox and finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2003. He hasn't pitched in the major leagues since 2008, when he started 10 games for the Dodgers and White Sox.