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In a devastating incident that has rocked the baseball community and the Dominican Republic, former Major League Baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel was among more than 100 people who lost their lives after the roof of a popular nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed early Tuesday morning.
Tragedy Strikes During Live Merengue Performance
The fatal collapse occurred at Jet Set Nightclub, one of the capital’s most iconic music venues, where over 300 people had gathered to enjoy a live performance by renowned merengue artist Rubby Pérez and his orchestra. According to authorities, the roof caved in around 1 a.m. local time, catching the crowd off guard.
More Than 200 Injured, 113 Confirmed Dead
Emergency services confirmed that at least 113 people died in the incident, while more than 200 others sustained injuries. Dotel, who had initially been pulled alive from the rubble, tragically passed away while being transported to the hospital, as per Emergency Operations Center Director Juan Manuel Méndez.
A Respected Figure On and Off the Field
Dotel’s educational institution, Colegio Sabiduría y Baluarte, expressed sorrow in an official statement, remembering him as someone who “leaves an indelible mark on all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him.”
A Storied MLB Career Across 13 Teams
Since entering the Major Leagues in 1999, Octavio Dotel had 15 seasons in baseball. He was a member of the New York Mets from 1993 until being traded. Dotel played for the 13 different organizations in MLB; in 2019, Edwin Jackson would break the record.
Dotel played with the Mets, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays.
Champion and National Hero
Dotel won the World Series in 2011 with the St. Louis Cardinals and participated in the 2012 World Series with the Tigers. He proudly represented the Dominican Republic in the 2013 World Baseball Classic Championship.
Dotel, with a 3.78 career ERA, struck out 1,143 batters and saved 109 games in 951 innings. Dotel appeared in 758 MLB games and had a career win-loss record of 59-50 when he retired in 2013.
Former Major Leaguer Tony Blanco Also Perished in the Collapse
The heartbreaking news that Tony Blanco, another former major leaguer who played for the Washington Nationals for 56 games in 2005, was also caught in the collapse has been confirmed by MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred and the Dominican Sports Ministry.
Dead were Dominican Governor Nelsy Cruz, a relative of the former MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, and other victims of the collapse. Dominican President Luis Abinader confirmed Cruz, the governor of Monte Cristi province, died in the collapse. The family of the former slugger released a statement mourning her death.
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