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Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel died early Tuesday after a roof collapse at a Dominican Republic nightclub, the Mets and Astros announced Tuesday. He was 51 years old. At least 44 people have been killed and more than 140 have been injured at the Jetset Club in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
Dotel was among those saved from the ware rub, but later succumbed to his injuries.
Dotel originally signed with the Mets as an international amateur free agent in March 1993, and invaded the big leagues with New York in June 1999. He was traded for the Astros on a Mike Hampton contract that season, earning his greatest success with Houston.
In 2004, the Astros traded Dotel for track and field and began the Journeyman phase of his career. Dotel pitched 11 different teams from 2004 to 13: Athletics, Yankees, Royals, Braves, White Sox, Pirates, Dodgers, Rocky, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Tigers. At the time of his retirement, Dotel held a record for most of the franchises played in (13).
Dotel won the 2011 World Series ring with the Cardinals. He retired both batters who faced the Rangers in seven innings of Game 7 victory in the World Series.
He was by no means an All-Star, but Dotel was one of the top saviors of his time. He hit 11.5 batters per nine innings during his peak in 2001-2009, but received a hit of 3.10 per nine innings, an elite strikeout rate for the time being. Dotel retired in nearly 1,000 innings following his 2013 season with a career 3.78 ERA and 109 saves.
According to the Associated Press, the sisters of longtime MLB player Nelson Cruz and the governor of Northerncristi, were among those killed in the collapse of the roof.
