Former MLB World Series winner Octavio Dotel died Tuesday. He was 51.
Dotel was reportedly one of at least 44 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 130 people were injured in the incident. It is unclear what caused the roof to collapse,
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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.
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-innings 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.
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His most notable stop during that period came in the 2011 season, when he joined the Cardinals in a midseason trade. The 2011 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 IL with 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 by playing for 13 different MLB clubs. Dotel’s record was broken by his former teammate Edwin Jackson, who appeared in the majors with 14 different clubs.
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