From the rubble of a terrible tragedy has emerged the story of a final heroic act by a former Boston Red Sox prospect.
Just before 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, the roof of a nightclub in the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo collapsed during a concert. News reports indicated that at least 113 people were killed, including former Major League players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco. Also killed was Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Monte Cristi and sister of seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz.
Initial reports indicated that 155 people had been injured, although that total was expected to rise. The tally was based on the number of ambulance transfers to local hospitals, but authorities stated that some of the ambulances carried as many as three people at a time.
Blanco, a third baseman who was signed as an undrafted free agent by Boston in 1998, is credited with saving the life of another former MLB player, Esteban Germán, just before he died. As relayed in a post to X (formerly Twitter) by MLB reporter Héctor Gómez, Germán had returned from the bathroom and was about to sit down at the table when Blanco, realizing the ceiling was beginning to fall, pushed Germán clear of the falling debris.
Blanco, 43, unfortunately died moments later in the incident at the Jet Set club, but Germán, 47, miraculously survived.
Tony Blanco Was Traded by Boston, Eventually Made Major Leagues With Washington
In 2002, Blanco was traded to the Cincinnati Reds as the player to be named later in a deal that had previously sent Todd Walker to Boston. By 2003, Blanco had emerged as a top prospect within the Reds organization, making an impression while playing for the Potomac Cannons of the Carolina League.
In 2005, the Washington Nationals selected him in the Rule 5 Draft, and he opened the season with the Potomac Nationals. After an invitation to major league spring training, Blanco earned a spot on the Nationals’ roster early that year, ultimately appearing in 56 Major League games during his rookie season. He finished the 2005 campaign with a .177 batting average, one home run, and seven RBIs.
Former MLB Pitcher Octavio Dotel Also Perished in Roof Collapse
Dotel pitched for 13 major league teams during his 15-year career, setting an MLB record when he pitched for the Detroit Tigers on April 7, 2012. That record was broken in 2019 when Edwin Jackson took the mound for his 14th team.
Dotel signed as an amateur free agent with the New York Mets in 1993, eventually making his Major League debut in 1999. He was used primarily as a starter during that first season, but the next year, he went to Houston, where he stayed for four-plus seasons, eventually becoming a reliable, often dominant reliever.
From 1999-2013, Dotel appeared in 758 games from 1999-2013. He posted a career ERA of 3.78, striking out 1,143 batters in 951 innings.
Dotel was 51.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement in response to the tragedy.
“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo,” Manfred said. “We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been affected and to our colleague Nelson and his entire family.
“The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”
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