Former MLB star Jeremy Giambi dead at 47 as tributes pour in

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By Carina Murphy

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Major League Baseball star Jeremy Giambi has died at the age of 47.

Tributes are pouring in for the former athlete, who was best known for his time at the Oakland Athletics. His cause of death has not yet been determined.

The Oakland Athletic's official Twitter account posted a photo of Giambi on the baseball field, along with a message paying homage to him.

"We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi," the statement read. "We offer our condolences to Jeanne, Jason, and his family and friends."

They weren't the only team to pay tribute to the star. The Philadephia Phillies - who Giambi played for in 2002 - shared a snap of him in his Phillies kit alongside a message.

"The Phillies are saddened to hear the news of Jeremy Giambi's tragic passing. Our condolences go out to his family during this very difficult time," the statement concluded.

"We stand with the baseball world in mourning the loss of Jeremy Giambi," wrote the Kansas City Royals in a post that also offered the Giambi family their condolences.

The Red Sox - who Giambi spent his final MLB season with back in 2003 - added: "We mourn the loss of Jeremy Giambi, who spent six seasons in the major leagues, including 2003 with the Red Sox. We send our heartfelt condolences to the Giambi family."

Star player Giambi played a total of 510 games during his time in the MLB racking up 52 home runs and 209 RBIs. According to Baseball-Reference, he had a .263 batting average.

Alongside Giambi's old teams, tributes have also flooded in from current and former MLB stars.

"Heartbroken to hear the news about Jeremy Giambi's passing. He was the ultimate competitor on the diamond. Just 47, gone way too soon. My thoughts are with his family and friends," Alex Rodriguez tweeted.

Alongside his hundreds of appearances on the field, Giambi also appeared on screen in the 2011 film Moneyball, which portrayed both him and his older brother Jason.

Featured Image Credit: REUTERS / Alamy