Longtime MLB Closer Dead at 51 After Tragic Nightclub Incident

Tragedy has struck the baseball world today, as 15-year veteran relief pitcher Octavio Dotel, who retired in 2013, is dead after the roof of a nightclub in the Domincan Republic collapsed. More than 40 people were killed in the disaster, and over 130 more were injured.

🚨🚨🚨 TRAGEDY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Jet-Set Nightclub Roof Collapses During Rubby Pérez Concert, Leaving 12 Dead and Dozens Injured

A devastating tragedy struck the Dominican Republic last night when the roof of the iconic Jet-Set nightclub in Santo Domingo collapsed… pic.twitter.com/UItVm7oGSw
— Juan Torres (@juanpodcast1) April 8, 2025

Dotel was one of eight people who were pulled out of the rubble alive, but he succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a hospital in the capital city of Santo Domingo, and was pronounced dead.

Dotel, 51, pitched for 13 teams over his 15 seasons in the majors from 1999 to 2013. His high-water mark was in 2004 when he recorded 36 saves combined for the Houston Astros, with whom he spent the first five years of his career, and the Oakland A's.

He was a part-time closer and elite setup man through much of his career.

Dotel won a World Series ring before he was done, as a member of the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals. He made a return to the Fall Classic in 2012, this time with the Detroit Tigers, pitching five scoreless innings over six appearances before they fell to the San Francisco Giants.

He finished his career with a 3.78 ERA, 109 saves and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.