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Former MLB Reliever Octavio Dotel and Nelson Cruz’s Sister Nelsy Among Victims of Jet Set NightClub Collapse in Santo Domingo

Matt TallariniApr 9, 20256 MIN READ
Octavio Dotel pitching for Puerto Rico in the WBC in 2013

Former Major League Baseball reliever Octavio Dotel and Nelsy Cruz, the sister of seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz, died early Tuesday, April 8, after the roof of the Jet Set NightClub collapsed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Nelsy Cruz was born on August 6, 1982, and served as the governor of Montecristi, a province in the northwestern Dominican Republic, near the Haitian border. She had held the position since August 19, 2020, following the election of President Luis Abinader.

At least 79 people were killed and around 160 others were injured when the roof of the Jet Set NightClub collapsed at Plaza El Portal on Avenida Independencia, according to the Associated Press on April 8.

There has been no official report on the number of attendees at the venue that night. President Abinader is expected to hold a press conference on April 9 or 10 to address the tragedy.

Jet Set NightClub owner Antonio Espaillat released a statement offering condolences to the victims’ families.

Jet Set NightClub was an iconic venue in southern Santo Domingo, known for nearly five decades of live performances, particularly its popular “Jet Set Mondays.” The club opened in 1973 and was a staple of Dominican nightlife. It underwent renovations in 2010 and 2015, and was reportedly struck by lightning in 2023. General admission for Rubby Pérez’s concert on April 7 was $32, with VIP access at $40.

The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE), National Police, and Civil Defense have coordinated recovery and support efforts.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark both issued statements on the tragedy.

 

Former MLB second baseman Esteban Germán, a Santo Domingo native, was at Jet Set NightClub but had left before the collapse and was not injured.

Germán played in 409 MLB games from 2002 to 2011 with the Athletics, Rangers, and Royals, batting .280. He later played in Japan for the Saitama Seibu Lions (2012-13) and Orix Buffaloes (2014-15).

Merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing at the club that night, also died in the collapse. He was 69 years old and from Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic.

Pérez had performed the Dominican national anthem in November at Citi Field during the Titanes del Caribe game between Aguilas Cibaenas and Tigres del Licey.

According to Hola.com, Pérez began his career in 1987 and was known for hits like “Buscando Tus Besos” and “Dame Veneno.” He won multiple Casandra Awards, now known as the Soberano Awards.

His daughter, Zulinka Pérez, told Listin Diario and E! News that her father was initially reported in stable condition and began singing under the rubble so rescuers could hear him.

“The loss of human lives leaves us in a state of profound sorrow and grief,” read a translated message posted to Jet Set NightClub’s Instagram account and cited by Billboard. “In this difficult moment, our prayers are with each affected family. We share their pain as if it were our own, as we, too, are in mourning. We are working fully and transparently with the competent authorities to assist the victims and clarify what happened.”

According to ESPN Deportes, Dotel was trapped under the rubble for more than 11 hours before being rescued. He died en route to the Central Hospital of the Armed Forces in Santo Domingo.

Dotel was born on November 25, 1973 and played 15 seasons across the majors with the New York Mets in 1999, the Houston Astros from 2000-04, the Oakland Athletics from 2004-05, the New York Yankees in 2006, the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves in 2007, the Chicago White Sox from 2008-09, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Colorado Rockies in 2010, the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011, and the Detroit Tigers from 2012-13.

Dotel was part of the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series-winning team and pitched in the Astros’ combined no-hitter against the Yankees on June 11, 2003.

In the 2011 postseason, he appeared in 12 games, going 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA over 10.1 innings. He allowed five hits, three earned runs, one home run, two walks, and struck out 14.

Dotel also pitched for the Dominican Republic in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, helping the team win its first title with a 3-0 victory over Puerto Rico at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

In the WBC, Dotel pitched 4.2 scoreless innings over four appearances, allowing three hits and striking out three.

He finished his MLB career with 758 appearances, including 34 starts. Dotel posted a 59-50 record, 109 saves, a 3.78 ERA, 1,143 strikeouts, and a 1.238 WHIP in 951 innings.

In LIDOM, Dotel played for the Leones del Escogido from 1997 to 2013. He went 6-1 with a 2.31 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 101.1 innings. His best season came in 1998-99, when he went 5-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 41.1 innings.

Dotel also contributed to Tigres del Licey’s 2012-13 championship, pitching three scoreless innings in Game Four of the LIDOM final.

Another victim of the collapse was former MLB utility player Tony Blanco, born in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic.

Blanco appeared in 56 games with the Washington Nationals in 2005, batting .177 with one home run and seven RBI.

He played in LIDOM for the Estrellas Orientales from 2007-09 and in 2016-17, hitting 10 home runs in 50 games.

Blanco also played for the Tigres del Licey and spent eight seasons in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons, Yokohama BayStars, and Orix Buffaloes, batting .272 with 181 home runs and 542 RBI in 750 games.

Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez also issued a statement following the tragedy.

More than 160 injured individuals have been treated at various hospitals in the Santo Domingo region, including Hospital Ney Arias Lora, Hospital Moscoso Puello, Hospital Salvador B. Gautier, Hospital Vinicio Calventi, Hospital Marcelino Velez Santana, and Hospital Dario Contreras.

 

(AP Photo/Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo)

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