Ex-Royals All-Star Discusses Impact Octavio Dotel Left On MLB

Tragedy struck the baseball world on Tuesday morning when former Major League pitcher Octavio Dotel passed away. The 15-year veteran was caught up in the collapse of the roof at Set Jet nightclub in the Dominican Republic.

Dotel initially survived and called out for help, but passed away on his way to the hospital. The right-hander pitched for 13 teams in his career, including the Kansas City Royals for a brief time in 2007.

Dotel wrapped up his career with the Detroit Tigers in 2013. Royals legend and World Series champion Eric Hosmer told a touching story about Dotel and the impact he had on Major League Baseball.

"I remember the first time we played Detroit, Octavio Dotel comes out of BP, and he has his sweater, he's ready to shag for Detroit and he's got his Gucci sunglasses on. Five or six of our guys run up to him, dap him up, give him a big high five, give him a bro hug," Hosmer recalled. "These guys all know him from winter ball and all that type of stuff. Dotel was one of these guys that so many people, so many professional big-league athletes looked up to from the D.R., so I can't even imagine the impact he had on the whole entire country alone."

Dotel certainly had an impact on the game during his time pitching. Even after his time with the Royals, several members of the team still looked up to him and wanted to get to know him.

This week has certainly been a difficult one in the baseball world and in the Dominican Republic. Dotel will be missed and will always be remembered as somebody who made his mark on the game and touched the lives of so many.

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