Former MLB World Series winner Octavio Dotel died Tuesday. He was 51.
Dotel was reportedly one of at least 58 people who died as a result of a nightclub collapse in the Dominican Republic, a spokesman for the country’s sports ministry confirmed to USA Today. The Jet Set nightclub roof collapsed early Tuesday morning during a concert. At least 160 people were injured in the incident, per the Associated Press. It is unclear what caused the roof to collapse.
There were reports Tuesday that Dotel was among those trapped in the rubble following the collapse. Rescue crews searched for survivors Tuesday, per the Associated Press.
“We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under the rubble,” said Juan Manual Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations.
Nelsy Cruz, governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi and sister of former MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, was also killed in the collapse, as was former MLB player Tony Blanco, per AP. Blanco, 43, played in 56 games for the Washington Nationals in 2005.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mourned Dotel, Cruz, Blanco and the remaining victims in a statement released Tuesday evening:
“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz, and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo. We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been affected and to our colleague Nelson and his entire family. The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”
A standout reliever, Dotel spent 15 seasons in the majors. After breaking in with the New York Mets, Dotel spent five seasons with the Houston Astros. He developed into a strong late-inning option, posting a 3.25 ERA over 449 innings with the Astros. He was used as the team’s primary closer in 2004 before being traded to the Athletics. He saved a career-high 36 games that season.
Following another strong season with the Athletics, Dotel began to bounce around the league. He spent time with the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers.
His most notable stop during that period came in the 2011 season, when he joined the Cardinals in a midseason trade. The Cardinals went on to win the World Series. Dotel pitched 10 1/3 innings during the postseason that year, with a 2.61 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
Dotel’s final season in the majors came in 2013. He appeared in just six games with the Tigers before going on the injured list due to an elbow injury. He failed to latch on to a team for the 2014 season and retired that October.
When Dotel retired, he held the major-league record after playing for 13 MLB clubs. That record was later broken by his former teammate Edwin Jackson, who appeared in the majors with 14 MLB clubs.
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