Luis Valbuena, who played for the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, and former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jose Castillo died in an automobile accident in Venezuela on Thursday, according to multiple reports.

Former Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Carlos Rivero, who survived the accident, was driving the car that hit a rock placed on the highway, apparently by bandits trying to force cars to stop on the highway between the capital, Caracas, and the city of Barquisimeto.

"How many other Venezuelans on highways across the nation have lost their lives because ... of those people who put objects on the highway for the purpose of later making an assault?" the team's administrative director, Gustavo Andrade, told local news media.

Valbuena was 33 years old, while Castillo was 37. The two were playing winter ball for Cardenales de Lara in Venezuela. 

“This is a very sad day for our sport as we mourn the deaths of Luis Valbuena and José Castillo," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a written statement on Friday. "It is clear by all the stories today that they loved baseball and made an impact on their teammates and the clubs they represented."  

Valbuena played 11 seasons in the major leagues, starting his career with the Seattle Mariners in 2008, and also played for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros before the previous two seasons with the Angels. He was a free agent.

Castillo played in the majors from 2004-08 for the Pirates, Astros and San Francisco Giants. 

Contributing: AP

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