On Tuesday, reports came out about a tragic nightclub collapse in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The roof of the building collapsed during a concert, tragically killing former major league players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco. Dotel won a World Series in 2011 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Nelsy Cruz, the sister of former big-leaguer Nelson Cruz, also died. Now, Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez says he has family that is still trapped in the rubble.
Martinez took to Instagram to share the update, which was relayed by the New York Post:
“I still have family members that are still in the [rubble] and we don’t know what happened to them but we just want to be strong, like we have always been.”
According to the BBC, at least 124 people have died and more than 150 were injured. Reports indicate that between 500 and 1,000 people were in attendance.
One of the great pitchers of all-time, Martinez spent 18 years in the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. He was 219-100 lifetime with a 2.93 ERA. He led the major leagues in ERA five different times, including posting a microscopic 1.74 in 1998. He was a three-time Cy Young winner and an eight-time All-Star. He won a pitching triple crown and helped lead the Red Sox to the 2004 World Series, which broke the “Curse of the Bambino.”
We will have more on this story as it continues to develop.