| Octavio Dotel | |||||||||||||||
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 Dotel with the Tigers in 2012 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born:(1973-11-25)November 25, 1973 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |||||||||||||||
| Died: April 8, 2025(2025-04-08) (aged 51) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| June 26, 1999, for the New York Mets | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| April 19, 2013, for the Detroit Tigers | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 59–50 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.78 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 1,143 | ||||||||||||||
| Saves | 109 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Octavio Eduardo Dotel Diaz (November 25, 1973 – April 8, 2025) was a Dominican professionalbaseballpitcher who played 15 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played for 13 major league teams, the second-most of any player in history. Dotel spent most of his career as arelief pitcher, including several stints as acloser, during which he recorded 109saves. Dotel's longest tenure with a single team was the five seasons he spent with theHouston Astros. On June 11, 2003, he combined with five other Astros pitchers to throw ano-hitter.
Dotel won the2011 World Series while playing for theSt. Louis Cardinals. As a member of theDetroit Tigers in 2012, he set the record for playing with the most major league teams,[1] a record that stood until 2019.[2] In2013, as a member of the Dominican national team, Dotel won theWorld Baseball Classic championship; along with fellow DominicansRobinson Canó andSantiago Casilla, he became one of the few players in history to win both aWorld Series and aWorld Baseball Classic. He died in theJet Set nightclub roof collapse inSanto Domingo.
Dotel graduated from Liceo Cansino Afuera in theDominican Republic and was signed by theNew York Mets as an amateurfree agent in 1993. He played for theirminor league affiliate in theDominican Summer League through 1994 and then was promoted through the Mets' minor league system for the next several seasons. Dotel made his MLB debut on June 26, 1999, for the Mets, taking the loss in a 7–2 defeat to theAtlanta Braves.[3] His first MLB win came July 1, 1999, against theFlorida Marlins.[4] He ended the season pitching three innings in relief and as the winning pitcher in the 15-inning Game 5 of the1999 National League Championship Series against the Braves.[5] The game ended withRobin Ventura'sGrand Slam Single.[6]
He was voted NL Player of the Week for the week of July 25, 1999.[7]
On December 23, 1999, the Mets traded Dotel withRoger Cedeño and minor leaguer Kyle Kessel to theHouston Astros forMike Hampton andDerek Bell.[8]
In 2000, Dotel went 3–7 with 16saves and a 5.40 ERA in 50 games (16starts).[9] He began the season as astarter but was converted to areliever for the Astros; Dotel began to fill in as acloser for an injuredBilly Wagner.[10] This season marked the first time inNational League history that apitcher had over 15 starts and 15 saves (the other seasons in MLB history where this feat happened were in 1957, whenRay Narleski started 15 games and had 16 saves with theCleveland Indians, in 1999, whenTim Wakefield had 17 starts and attained 15 saves for theBoston Red Sox, and in 2004, whenDustin Hermanson started 18 games and converted 17 saves for theSan Francisco Giants).[11]
In 2001, Dotel again began the season as a starter but moved into thebullpen as thesetup man for Wagner. Dotel had an excellent season in 2002; he led all relievers with 118strikeouts and helped secure a well-reputed bullpen for the Astros then. By 2003, Dotel and Wagner were joined by future Astros closerBrad Lidge and all three partook in a historic event in which six Astros pitchers combined for ano-hitter against the New York Yankees on June 11, 2003.[12][13]
After the 2003 season, Wagner was traded to thePhiladelphia Phillies,[14] and Dotel started 2004 as the closer for the Astros.[10]
On June 24, 2004, Dotel was traded to theOakland Athletics in a three-team trade that sentCarlos Beltrán to the Astros, minor leaguerMike Wood,Mark Teahen, andJohn Buck to theKansas City Royals.[15] Dotel served as the closer for the Athletics and finished the 2004 season with a combined 6–6 record with a 3.69 ERA and a career-high 36 saves (22 for the A's and 14 for the Astros) in 77 relief appearances.[9]
Dotel began 2005 as the closer for the Athletics again, but had a rough start and went on the 60-daydisabled list on May 21.[16] It was later announced on June 2 that he would undergoTommy John surgery, ending his season after just 15 games.[17]
Dotel signed a one-year, $2 million deal with theNew York Yankees in December 2005.[18] He missed the first four months of the 2006 season, recovering from hisTommy John surgery. Dotel had a setback after developingtendinitis in his elbow while on a rehab assignment with theTrenton Thunder. This pushed his return into August as he went through another minor league assignment with theColumbus Clippers. Dotel pitched his first game in a Yankees uniform on August 16, coming into the game in the eighth inning against theBaltimore Orioles, facing two batters with one strikeout and one walk.[19] He finished the season playing in 14 games with no record and an ERA of 10.80.[9]
Dotel became a free agent at the end of the 2006 MLB season. On December 8, 2006, he agreed to a one-year contract with theKansas City Royals for $5 million.[20] Dotel made 24 relief appearances to start the season, going 2–1 with 11 saves and a 3.91 ERA.[9]
On July 31, 2007, the Royals traded Dotel to theAtlanta Braves in exchange for pitcherKyle Davies.[21] He made his Braves debut on August 1, throwing a scoreless ninth inning in a 12–3 rout of the Astros.[22] On August 10, Dotel was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain.[23] He made his return on September 22 escaping a bases-loaded jam which eventually led to a Braves win. He recorded a 4.70 ERA in nine appearances with the Braves and finished the season 2–1 with a 4.11 ERA in 33 combined relief appearances.[9]
On January 21, 2008, Dotel agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with theChicago White Sox.[24]
On January 21, 2010, Dotel agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with thePittsburgh Pirates, plus bonuses for games finished. The deal also included a club option for 2011 for $4.5 million with a $250,000 buyout.[25][26][27] Dotel started the year as the Pirates closer and stayed the closer until he was traded. He was 2–2 with 21 saves and a 4.28 ERA in 41 relief appearances with the Pirates.[9]
On July 31, 2010, Dotel was traded to theLos Angeles Dodgers forJames McDonald andAndrew Lambo.[28] He appeared in 19 games with the Dodgers and went 1–1 with one save and a 3.38 ERA.[9]
On September 18, 2010, Dotel was traded to theColorado Rockies for a player to be named later.[29] Dotel was ineligible to play on the postseason roster, but it made no difference as Colorado missed the playoffs. Dotel appeared in eight games with the Rockies, going 0–1 with a 5.06 ERA.[9]
On December 29, 2010, Dotel agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with theToronto Blue Jays with a club option for 2012.[30] He earned his 50th career victory while he played for Toronto.[31]
On July 27, 2011, Dotel was traded to theSt. Louis Cardinals withEdwin Jackson,Marc Rzepczynski andCorey Patterson forColby Rasmus,P. J. Walters,Trever Miller andBrian Tallet.[32][33] Dotel got his first championship title when the Cardinals beat theTexas Rangers in the2011 World Series. On October 31, 2011, it was announced that the Cardinals would not pick up the team option for the 2012 season, making Dotel a type A free agent.[34]
While playing for the Cardinals, Dotel served as a mentor to Rzepczynski.[35]
Dotel signed a one-year deal with theDetroit Tigers on December 7, 2011.[36] He made his debut for them on April 7, 2012.[37] The Tigers were Dotel's thirteenth major league team, allowing him to passMatt Stairs,Mike Morgan andRon Villone for the MLB record of the most teams for which a player played.[38]
I've been all over the place. I've been in every league. Every division, too: West, Central, East. National League – boom, boom, boom. American League – boom, boom, boom.
Dotel made his 700th appearance in a major-league game on April 21, 2012, in the nightcap of adoubleheader against theTexas Rangers.[39]
Dotel entered the World Series for the second year in a row, but the Tigers lost to theSan Francisco Giants in a four-game sweep. On October 30, 2012, the Tigers picked up Dotel's option for the 2013 season.[40]
On April 23, 2013, Dotel was placed on the 15-day DL due to right elbow inflammation.[41] He was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 8.[42]
On October 3, 2014, Dotel announced his retirement from professional baseball at the age of 40 after pitching 15 seasons for 13 MLB teams. His career strikeout rate of 10.8 per nine innings is the best in the history of baseball for right-handed pitchers with at least 900 innings pitched.[43]
Dotel mainly threw afour-seam fastball from 90 to 93 miles per hour (145 to 150 km/h). He had twobreaking balls, mostly used in two-strike counts: a sweepingslider in the low 80 mph (130 km/h) range and acurveball in the upper 70 mph (110 km/h) range. The slider was used against right-handed hitters, the curveball against left-handers.[44] He was astrikeout pitcher throughout his career, finishing above 10strikeouts per nine innings pitched in 10 full seasons.[9] At the time of his death, he was one of 10 pitchers in MLB history with at least 700 appearances and 10 strikeouts per nine innings.[6]
In November 1993, not long after Dotel signed his first contract with theNew York Mets, his father was murdered. Emilio Dotel, 53, entered ataxi cab on his way home from work and was robbed and killed. His body was found a day later, 5 miles (8.0 km) from his house inSanto Domingo. Emilio and his wife, Maria Magdalena Dotel, had three sons and two daughters.[45]
Dotel was married to Massiel.[46]
In August 2019, Dotel was arrested on charges related to a drug trafficking and money laundering operation, whileLuis Castillo was cited for related charges.[47][48][49] Later that month, a judge cleared Dotel and Castillo of the money laundering charges. At the time of his death, Dotel was still facing a charge for allegedly possessing an illegal weapon at the time of his arrest.[50]
Dotel died on April 8, 2025, from injuries sustained in theJet Set nightclub roof collapse in Santo Domingo, at the age of 51.[51][52] Fellow Dominican baseball playerTony Blanco was also killed in the nightclub disaster.[53] Dotel was buried in Santo Domingo on April 10.[54]
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | No-hit game June 11,2003 (withOswalt,Munro,Saarloos,Lidge, &Wagner) | Succeeded by |
