Former MLB reliever Octavio Dotel dies after nightclub roof collapses

Tony Paul, The Detroit News on Apr 8, 2025

Published in Baseball

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DETROIT — Former Tigers reliever Octavio Dotel, who pitched for Detroit in the 2012 World Series, has died after being trapped for hours in rubble from a collapsed roof at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic.

Dotel, 51, was rescued from the rubble late Tuesday morning but died while being transported to a hospital in the capital city of Santo Domingo, Dominican National Police confirmed to reporters, including the Associated Press.

Early Tuesday morning, the roof of the popular Jet Set nightclub collapsed during a merengue concert, killing more than 60 and injuring more than 160, according to a report from the Associated Press. Also among those killed was Nelsy Cruz, a local politician and the sister of former major league slugger Nelson Cruz, and Tony Blanco, another former Dominican professional baseball player who played briefly in the major leagues with the Washington Nationals.

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of former pitcher Octavio Dotel," the Tigers said in a statement posted on social media Tuesday night. "Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones as well as all those affected by this tragedy in the Dominican Republic."

Dotel, a right-hander, pitched for 13 different teams during his 15-year major league career that spanned from 1999-2013. That was a record number of teams for one player, until Edwin Jackson, also a former Tiger, pitched for a 14th different team in 2019. Rich Hill, another pitcher, tied Dotel at 13 teams, with the San Diego Padres last season.

Dotel signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Tigers, his 13th team, before the 2012 season, and proved reliable and effective, with a 3.57 ERA in 57 appearances in the regular season. He struck out 62 in 58 innings. Dotel then made six appearances in the postseason that year, two in each round, including the World Series, and didn't allow a run.

"Shocked and so sad to hear this," former Tigers catcher Alex Avila wrote on X on Tuesday. "Dotel was an awesome teammate. He brought the energy every day along with that rubber arm, which made him so reliable out of the 'pen.

"Condolences to his family and friends."

Dotel's $3.5 million option for 2013 was picked up by the Tigers, but he injured his elbow in mid-April and didn't pitch the rest of the season. As it turned out, he never pitched in the major leagues again, officially retiring in October 2014. He had a 3.78 ERA over 758 appearances, mostly out of the bullpen.

Dotel also pitched for the New York Mets, who signed him as a 19-year-old out of the Dominican Republic, as well as Houston Astros, Oakland A's, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals. Dotel was part of a combined no-hitter for the Astros in 2003, and he won a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011.

"The Players Association is devastated beyond words by the tragic events of Tuesday morning in the Dominican Republic," Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, said in a statement Tuesday night. "We grieve for all the victims and send a special message of support to the families of Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, who leave an unspeakable void with their passing, and to Nelson Cruz, whose family lost a shining light with the death of his sister, Nelsy. Amid the incomprehensible sadness, we stand united with the Dominican community and keep the island in our thoughts and our prayers as this situation continues to unfold."

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement that read in part: "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."