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Former LA Dodgers pitcher Reyes Moronta died at the age of 31 in a car accident on Sunday night, according to MLB insider Hector Gomez. Moronta, who was a free agent, died in his homeland, the Dominican Republic.
The news was later confirmed by the Mexican Baseball League on social media.
The 31-year-old, who played 22 games with the Dodgers in 2022, went 10-11 for a 3.05 ERA in 177 games, including three saves across 171.1 innings pitched. He allowed 16 home runs, 94 walks, 202 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.23 in his major league career.
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Reyes Moronta signed a minor league contract with the Angels in May 2023. Following three scoreless pitching appearances for Salt Lake City, he was upgraded to the major league roster, where he didn't perform well. In two pitching appearances, Moronta posted a 6.75 ERA in 1.1 innings. He was then optioned back to minors.
Moronta decided to become a free agent last season in October. However, he didn't receive any interest from major league teams this offseason, leading him to sign with the Bravos de León of the Mexican League in May 2024. He struggled there, posting an ERA of 8.69 over 19.2 innings. The franchise later released him.
Reyes Moronta's journey to MLB
Reyes Moronta was the youngest of five children of Francisco and Ivonne Moronta. He was born and raised in Santiago, in the Dominican Republic. Francisco was a truck driver, while Ivonne worked in a cigar factory.
Moronta, then 17, inked a contract with the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent in September 2010 for $15,000. He made his debut with the San Francisco Giants in September 2017. He missed the entirety of the 2020 season as he underwent surgery in September 2019 to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
His injury troubles continued in the 2021 season, as he was placed on a 60-day injured list with a mildly sprained ligament in his elbow in May.
He entered free agency after the 2021 season and went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2022), Arizona Diamondbacks (2022) and Los Angeles Angels (2023).
