Mets hold moment of silence for Octavio Dotel after death in Dominican nightclub tragedy
The Mets and their fans mourned the death of Octavio Dotel, the franchise’s former pitcher.
The 51-year-old was one of at least 44 people who were killed when the roof of a Dominican Republic nightclub collapsed with merengue singer Rubby Pérez performing, according to multiple reports.
The Mets observed a moment of silence and displayed a black-and-white photo of Dotel along with the Dominican Republic flag on the scoreboard before their game with the Marlins at Citi Field on Tuesday afternoon.
The right-hander, who spent one season with the Mets in 1999, was among eight people pulled from the rubble of the Jet Set nightclub before succumbing to his injuries, according to Noticias SIN.
At least 150 people were injured.
“Thinking about our people in the Dominican Republic,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It affected a lot of people there. We have a lot of Dominican communities in the baseball world. Our prayers to their families.”
Dotel was signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1993.
As a rookie six years later, he helped the Mets clinch the National League wild card and reach the NLCS before falling to the Braves in six games.
He started 14 games that year and went 8-3 with a 5.38 ERA and appeared in two playoff games.
He was then a central piece, along with Roger Cedeno, in a trade that brought ace Mike Hampton to the Mets for the 2000 season in which they would reach the World Series.
Dotel would go on to play for 13 major league teams in his 15-year career, including five seasons with the Astros and one with the Yankees.
He went on to win a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011.
Dotel finished with a 59-50 record, 3.78 ERA and 109 saves.
“The Yankees mourn the passing of former Yankees pitcher Octavio Dotel and extend our deepest condolences to Octavio’s family, friends and loved ones,” the Yankees said in a statement.
Former MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz’s sister also died from the nightclub roof collapse.
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