TMZ Sports - Page 50

10:39 AM PT -- MLB insider Héctor Gómez is now reporting Octavio Dotel has died.

The former pitcher, according to the reporter, passed away while he was being transported from the nightclub rubble to the hospital.

Dotel was just 51 years old.

7:23 AM PT -- Octavio Dotel has been rescued from the rubble ... MLB insider Héctor Gómez reported Tuesday morning.

Former MLB star relief pitcher Octavio Dotel was inside a Dominican Republic nightclub Monday night when its roof suddenly collapsed ... though, thankfully, he's reportedly still alive.

According to MLB insider Héctor Gómez, Dotel -- who logged 36 saves for the Astros and A's in 2004 -- was partying at Jet Set in Santo Domingo, when its roof caved in.

Michael Malone is no longer the head coach of the Denver Nuggets, it was announced Tuesday.

The move is nothing short of shocking -- the Nuggets are a playoff team this season ... and could end up with as high as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

Just two seasons ago, Denver won the whole damn thing under Malone's leadership.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Roberto Clemente's family have taken a step in the right direction after the baseball legend's tribute was inexplicably removed from the outfield wall padding at PNC Park ... with Roberto Clemente Jr. telling TMZ Sports the two sides had a "good conversation" during a meeting on Monday.

The Pirates sparked quite the controversy when the No. 21 logo in honor of the late MVP was replaced by an ad for a cocktail company over the weekend ... with fans -- and Roberto Jr. himself -- expressing shock over the move.

Pirates president Travis Williams took the blame for the mistake on Sunday ... and said the symbol would be returned to the right field wall.

Tragedy hit hard in the Dominican Republic when a nightclub roof came crashing down on partygoers -- leaving 18 dead and more than 120 injured in the chaos.

The terrifying moment was caught on camera -- one minute, fans were vibing to merengue star Rubby Pérez onstage at the popular Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo ... the next, the roof dramatically collapsed, plunging the place into darkness and panic.

Pérez was pulled from the rubble, and his manager, Enrique Paulino -- who reportedly had blood on his chest -- said it all happened so fast, he thought it was an earthquake ... but he managed to throw himself into a corner just in time.

Former Louisville linebacker P.J. Blue -- who was teammates with Lamar Jackson on the Cardinals -- has died at 27 years old, the school announced Tuesday.

"We are saddened by the passing of Cardinal Forever P.J. Blue," university officials said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with his loved ones."

The cause of death was not made immediately available.

CM Punk already has Paul Heyman in his corner for his Wrestlemania match ... and now one of the hottest comedians also has his back -- 'cause the WWE Superstar teamed up with Bert Kreischer for some tag team action on "Raw!"

The 52-year-old showed off his in-ring ability once "Monday Night Raw" went off the air. After hopping the barricade and taking off his shirt in record time (of course, that's Bert's thing), he found himself face-to-face with Grayson Waller and Austin Theory.

Unlike Andrew Schulz, he didn't need any saving. Once Punk dropped both of them with his signature move ... he called Bert into the ring -- who delivered two chokeslams with some authority.

Ashton Hall became an internet sensation with his insane daily routines, but he elected to stay out way past his early bedtime on Monday ... thanks to his courtside seats at the Miami Heat game!!

Don't worry, though -- he still got up at the ass crack of dawn for his Tuesday morning workout.

Hall -- who recently went viral for his bizarre 4 AM exercise regimen -- was captured sitting with his feet on wood at the Kaseya Center in Miami for a contest against the Philadelphia 76ers ... and his fans were shocked to see him being a night owl.

College basketball star Hailey Van Lith is trading her jersey for some beachwear ... putting her athletic figure on display for her big debut with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit!!

The TCU hooper -- who was Big 12 Player of the Year this past season -- teamed up with the publication for a digital cover photoshoot at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas ... rocking several one and two-piece swimsuits as she posed for the cameras.

HVL spoke about the cool opportunity ... saying it's all about feeling comfortable in her own skin.

Gators fans stormed Florida streets on Monday night to celebrate the school's national championship ... causing mayhem on roadways near the university's campus for hours.

Check out some of the visuals from downtown Gainesville ... there was a sea of people who left their homes to party with fellow UF supporters after the men's basketball team beat Houston, 65-63, in San Antonio.

For the most part, the crowd seemed behaved ... although there were people seen climbing on light poles -- including a man with a lower leg injury.

Jessica Simpson was seen hanging out recently with none other than her hubby Eric Johnson amid their split and rumors they're getting a divorce, TMZ has learned.

TMZ obtained exclusive photos showing the estranged couple spending time in Carlsbad, California, last Monday with their kids and a couple of older folks who looked like Eric's parents.

Eyewitnesses tell us Eric and Jessica seemed distant with their 3 young children standing in between them. We're told the kids -- daughters Maxwell and Birdie, and son Ace -- appeared to be in good spirits, but Jessica didn't crack a smile based on our pics.

Henry Cejudo is convinced his actions at a hit-and-run incident last week helped save the suspect's life.

The wild scene, of course, all unfolded on Friday night in the UFC star's Phoenix neighborhood ... when he says he saw a group of young adults in a vehicle careening down his block at around 80 MPH.

Cejudo told TMZ Sports on Monday the car went airborne after it hit one of his neighbor's sprinkler systems ... and then it crashed through one of his other neighbor's houses.

Tigers Assistant General Manager Sam Menzin quit his job with the ball club last Thursday ... just as the Tigers were about to fire the front office executive amid an investigation into claims he sent lewd photos to female staffers.

According to The Athletic ... they spoke with three women who claimed they received unsolicited photos of the now 34-year-old's genitals dating back to as early as 2017. Two of them worked for the MLB team, while the other worked in baseball, but not for the Motor City squad.

The pictures were allegedly sent via Snapchat -- which automatically deletes images after they're seen.

5:30 PM PST -- Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman just announced that Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino faces a possible maximum sentence of death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

He was also charged in a separate case with one felony count of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense. Garcia-Aquino is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy in February 2024. If convicted as charged, he faces a possible maximum sentence of six years in state prison on that case.

A soccer coach who a Los Angeles family says was the last person who had contact with their dead son is being charged with the boy's murder ... TMZ has learned.

The missing 13-year-old boy Oscar Omar Hernandez was found dead in a ditch last week in Oxnard and his family says he was last seen with his soccer coach, 43-year-old Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Aquino is being charged with Oscar's murder.

A pair of golfers tragically lost their lives on a course on Sunday ... after officials say they were crushed by a tree during a violent storm.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan confirmed to TMZ Sports on Monday that Matthew Terrell Collins Sr. and his son, Matthew Terrell Collins Jr., died while out at the Bull Creek Golf Course in Columbus.

Bryan tells us the father-son duo had been in a cart when a severe storm rolled through. He said they sought cover underneath a tree ... but, sadly, it snapped amid strong winds and torrential rain and fell on them. Bryan stated the two were killed "instantly."

Dan Hurley wishes he had his most recent postgame outburst back ... admitting he really could've used some help keeping his cool after falling in the NCAA tournament.

The Huskies coach shared his side of the now-viral incident on Monday's episode of the "Dan Patrick Show" ... hours before the title game between Houston and Florida -- the team UConn lost to in the second round.

During their almost 18-minute discussion, Hurley reflected on the f-bombs he directed to Baylor players about officiating ... which was sparked by a call he didn't agree with during the contest.

Charles Barkley is back in San Antonio for the NCAA men's basketball championship game on Monday ... and he couldn't leave without reigniting his friendly rivalry with the city -- and their "big ol' women!!"

Barkley added another installment to the playful feud on the stage at the Capital One JamFest Sunday night ... one day after his alma mater lost its Final Four matchup against Florida.

After being handed the mic and thanking everyone in attendance ... Chuck made sure to point out the ladies who call the Alamo City their home.