Octavio Dotel, an former MLB launcher who played for 13 teams, died Tuesday after a roof collapsed in a nightclub while attending a concert in the Dominican Republic, according to local officials and the Pro-Dominican baseball league.
He was 51 years old.
The Jet Set Club roof in Santo Domingo, the capital, collapsed early Tuesday morning, killing At least 59 others And hurt 160, according to the Associated Press.
Dominican media Noticias Sin said that managing director Juan Manuel Méndez, head of the country’s emergency operations center, confirmed Dotel’s death.
In a Tuesday afternoon statement on Instagram, the Dominican Republic of the Professional Baseball League expressed condolences to the family of Dotel. The New York dishes, for whom Dotel made his major debut in 1999, held a moment of silence at Citi Field in his honor before their match on Tuesday. A moment of silence also took place in Pittsburgh before a match between the Pirates and the Cardinals, two of the other teams for which he played.
We mourn the death of Octavio Dotel.
Our thoughts concern all those who are affected by tragedy in the Dominican Republic. pic.twitter.com/uzk88qiba
– New York Mets (@Mets) April 8, 2025
The rescue teams are still looking for debris, the AP reported. Officials did not confirm how many people were inside when the roof collapsed. The crowd attended a concert by the singer of Merengue, Rubby Pérez, who is one of the injured.
The former Washington NationalS player, Tony Blanco, 43, also died in the collapse, according to the Dominican Ministry of Sports.
Blanco spent the 2005 season in Washington after stops with various minor leagues teams. He continued to play eight seasons in Japan for Japanese Professional Baseball, where he was quadruple NPB All-Star.
“We deeply regret the death of former Grand Lector Tony Blanco,” said the country’s sports ministry in a social position. “His heritage will live in our national baseball history.”
Blanco’s son Tony Blanco Jr. signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent in 2022. He is currently playing for the Marauders of Bradenton, the unique team of pirates.
Nelsy Cruz, governor of the province of North-Dominican of Montecristi and sister of the seven times MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz, also died. President Luis Abinader confirmed Cruz’s death during a press briefing on the collapse site, saying that she had been saved from debris but died in the hospital.
“We trust God to give strength to affected families,” said journalists.
The MLB commissioner Rob Manfred published a declaration expressing condolences to the families of those who died.
“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passages of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz and all the victims of the tragedy last night in Santo Domingo,” said Manfred. “We send our sincere condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been touched and to our colleague Nelson and to his whole family. The link between baseball and the Dominican Republic is deep, and we think of all Dominican players and fans through the game today. ”
MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark also Released A Stément: “The Players Association is devastated beyond words by the tragic events of Tuesday Morning in the Dominican Republic. We grieve for all the victim and sen 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.
Declaration of the executive director Tony Clark on the tragedy in the Dominican Republic pic.twitter.com/a3urtte07h
– MLBPA (@mlbpa) April 8, 2025
Originally from Santo Domingo, Dotel made his MLB debut in 1999 and retired in 2014. He won a world series in 2011 with St. Louis Cardinals, his only season with the team.
When he joined the Detroit Tigers in 2012, Dotel set an MLB record for most teams played by any player. His record of 13 teams was held until Edwin Jackson is in the lead in 2019.
Dotel was also part of the Dominican Republic team who won the World Baseball Classic in 2013. He ended his MLB career with a record of 59-50, 109 stops and an MPM of 3.78 in 758 games.
(Photo: Michael Zagaris / Oakland Athletics / Getty Images)
