SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Octavio Dotel, a veteran of 15 MLB seasons with 13 different teams, including a World Series title with the St. Louis Cardinals, has died at the age of 51. He was among those killed in a roof collapse in his home country, the Dominican Republic, where he was attending a merengue concert.
Initial reports indicated Dotel had been rescued from the rubble and taken to a hospital. However, Satosky Terrero, a spokesperson for the Dominican Republic’s Professional Baseball League, confirmed to The Associated Press that Dotel passed away later on Tuesday.
Authorities report that the collapse at the Jet Set nightclub resulted in at least 79 fatalities and 160 injuries. Tony Blanco, who played one season in MLB and eight years professionally in Japan, also died in the collapse, according to Terrero. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province and sister of former MLB player and current MLB special advisor Nelson Cruz, was also among the deceased.
“Major League Baseball expresses its deepest condolences for the deaths of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz, and all those affected by the tragic event in Santo Domingo last night,” stated MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of all the victims, and to our colleague Nelson and his family. The bond between baseball and the Dominican Republic is strong, and we are keeping all Dominican players and fans in our thoughts during this difficult time.”
Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, conveyed the union’s solidarity with the Dominican community “in this moment of profound sadness.”
“We mourn the loss of all the victims and offer our support to the families of Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, whose passing leaves a significant void, and to Nelson Cruz, who has lost his sister, Nelsy,” he said in a statement.
Dotel signed with the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1993 and debuted in the major leagues in 1999. Initially a starter, he transitioned into a dependable and often dominant relief pitcher, appearing in 758 games between 1999 and 2013.
On April 7, 2012, when he pitched for the Detroit Tigers, he set a record by playing for his 13th major league team. Edwin Jackson surpassed this record in 2019, pitching for his 14th team.
The Mets observed a moment of silence for Dotel before their Tuesday game against Miami, displaying a Dominican flag on the video scoreboard.
Dotel’s most successful years were with the Houston Astros in the early 2000s, where he served as a setup man for closer Billy Wagner, making 302 appearances with a 3.25 ERA over four-plus seasons. He was one of six pitchers who combined to pitch a no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 2003. The following year, he was involved in a three-way trade that brought Carlos Beltran to the Astros.
Before joining the Cardinals, who acquired him from Toronto at the 2011 trade deadline, Dotel pitched for nine teams. He participated in 12 postseason games, including five in the World Series against Texas.
In 2013, he was a member of the Dominican Republic team that won the World Baseball Classic with a perfect 8-0 record.
Dotel concluded his major league career with 1,143 strikeouts in 951 innings, an impressive rate of 10.8 per nine innings. He had a career record of 59-50, with 109 saves and a 3.78 ERA.
In 2019, Dotel and former major leaguer Luis Castillo were among 18 individuals arrested during a joint U.S. and Dominican law enforcement operation targeting drug trafficking and money laundering. Dotel and Castillo were later released after a Dominican magistrate judge determined there was insufficient evidence to link them to the operation.
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