Octavio Dotel
Born: 11/25/1973 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, D.R.
Died: 4/8/2025 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, D.R.
MLB Debut: 1999-06-26 | Final Game: 2013-04-19
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 230 lbs
Full name: Octavio Eduardo Dotel
Biography
Octavio Dotel was a versatile pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2013. Born in 1973, Dotel established himself as a reliable arm in the bullpen and a key contributor to several teams across his 14-year career. He finished with a record of 59-50 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.78, showcasing his ability to effectively manage games in high-pressure situations. Dotel was particularly known for his strikeout capability, amassing a total of 1,143 strikeouts, which highlighted his overpowering fastball and sharp breaking pitches.
Throughout his career, Dotel played for multiple franchises, including the New York Mets, Houston Astros, and St. Louis Cardinals, among others. He recorded 109 saves, demonstrating his effectiveness as a closer and his adaptability in various pitching roles. Dotel's career spanned a transformative period in baseball, during which the game saw an increased focus on specialized relief pitching. His contributions to the teams he played for and his longevity in the league made him a notable figure in the evolution of the modern bullpen.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | 50 | 758 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 951.0 | 765 | 399 | 117 | 412 | 1143 | 3.78 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NYN | NL | 8 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85.3 | 69 | 51 | 49 | 85 | 5.38 | -423.4 |
| 2000 | HOU | NL | 3 | 7 | 50 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 125.0 | 127 | 75 | 61 | 142 | 5.40 | -1373.9 |
| 2001 | HOU | NL | 7 | 5 | 61 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 105.0 | 79 | 31 | 47 | 145 | 2.66 | 5661.8 |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 6 | 4 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 97.3 | 58 | 20 | 27 | 118 | 1.85 | 4592.4 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | 6 | 4 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 87.0 | 53 | 24 | 31 | 97 | 2.48 | 2392.9 |
| 2004 | HOU | NL | 0 | 4 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 34.7 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 50 | 3.12 | 1235.4 |
| 2004 | OAK | AL | 6 | 2 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 50.7 | 41 | 23 | 18 | 72 | 4.09 | 902.1 |
| 2005 | OAK | AL | 1 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 15.3 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 3.52 | -188.4 |
| 2006 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 10.80 | - |
| 2007 | ATL | NL | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 4.70 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | KCR | AL | 2 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 23.0 | 24 | 10 | 11 | 29 | 3.91 | - |
| 2008 | CHW | AL | 4 | 4 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 67.0 | 52 | 28 | 29 | 92 | 3.76 | - |
| 2009 | CHW | AL | 3 | 3 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62.3 | 54 | 23 | 36 | 75 | 3.32 | - |
| 2010 | COL | NL | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.3 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5.06 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | LAD | NL | 1 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18.7 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 21 | 3.38 | - |
| 2010 | PIT | NL | 2 | 2 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 40.0 | 35 | 19 | 17 | 48 | 4.28 | 278.0 |
| 2011 | STL | NL | 3 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 24.7 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 32 | 3.28 | - |
| 2011 | TOR | AL | 2 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29.3 | 20 | 12 | 12 | 30 | 3.68 | -505.5 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | 5 | 3 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 58.0 | 50 | 23 | 12 | 62 | 3.57 | 2513.5 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.7 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 13.50 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 758 | 77 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 44 | 0.065 | 0.133 | 0.065 | 0.197 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NYN | NL | 19 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 2000 | HOU | NL | 50 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0.031 | 0.0 |
| 2001 | HOU | NL | 61 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.091 | 0.0 |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | 83 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | 76 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | HOU | NL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | OAK | AL | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2005 | OAK | AL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | NYY | AL | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | ATL | NL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2007 | KCR | AL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2008 | CHW | AL | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2009 | CHW | AL | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | COL | NL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | LAD | NL | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2010 | PIT | NL | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | STL | NL | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2011 | TOR | AL | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | 57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 2013 | DET | AL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | ALCS | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2012 | ALDS2 | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2012 | WS | DET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2011 | WS | SLN | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2011 | NLDS1 | SLN | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2011 | NLCS | SLN | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2008 | ALDS2 | CHA | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 2001 | NLDS1 | HOU | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1999 | NLDS2 | NYN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1999 | NLCS | NYN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 23.3 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 33 | 3.86 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | ALCS | DET | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.00 |
| 2012 | ALDS2 | DET | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.00 |
| 2012 | WS | DET | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
| 2011 | NLCS | SLN | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2.25 |
| 2011 | NLDS1 | SLN | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.00 |
| 2011 | WS | SLN | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3.7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4.91 |
| 2008 | ALDS2 | CHA | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13.50 |
| 2001 | NLDS1 | HOU | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5.40 |
| 1999 | NLCS | NYN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3.00 |
| 1999 | NLDS2 | NYN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 54.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 758 | 34 | 43 | 77 | 10 | 5 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | NYN | P | 19 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | HOU | P | 50 | 16 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 | HOU | P | 61 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 3 |
| 2002 | HOU | P | 83 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | HOU | P | 76 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | HOU | P | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | OAK | P | 45 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | OAK | P | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | NYA | P | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | ATL | P | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | KCA | P | 24 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | CHA | P | 72 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | CHA | P | 62 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 | COL | P | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | LAN | P | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | PIT | P | 41 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | SLN | P | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | TOR | P | 36 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | DET | P | 57 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | DET | P | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 758 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Player of the Week | Week of 1999-07-24 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | DET | AL | $3,500,000 |
| 2012 | DET | AL | $3,000,000 |
| 2011 | TOR | AL | $3,000,000 |
| 2010 | PIT | NL | $3,250,000 |
| 2009 | CHA | AL | $6,000,000 |
| 2008 | CHA | AL | $5,000,000 |
| 2007 | KCA | AL | $5,000,000 |
| 2006 | NYA | AL | $2,000,000 |
| 2005 | OAK | AL | $4,750,000 |
| 2004 | HOU | NL | $2,800,000 |
| 2003 | HOU | NL | $1,600,000 |
| 2002 | HOU | NL | $435,000 |
| 2001 | HOU | NL | $305,000 |
| 2000 | HOU | NL | $240,000 |
| 1999 | NYN | NL | $200,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $41,080,000 | ||