Dotel played for 13 major league teams, the second most teams played for by any player in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), setting the mark when he pitched for the Detroit Tigers on April 7, 2012, breaking a record previously held by Mike Morgan, Matt Stairs, and Ron Villone.

Dotel graduated from Liceo Cansino Afuera in the Dominican Republic and was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1993.

Dotel made his MLB debut on June 26, 1999, for the Mets, taking the loss in a 7–2 defeat to the Atlanta Braves.

[4] He ended the season as the winning pitcher in Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series against the Braves.

[6] On December 23, 1999, Dotel was traded by the Mets with Roger Cedeño and minor leaguer Kyle Kessel to the Houston Astros for Mike Hampton and Derek Bell.

[8] His role was converted from a starter to a relief pitcher for the Astros, and Dotel began to fill in as closer for an injured Billy Wagner.

This season marked the first time in National League history that a pitcher had over 15 starts and 15 saves (the only other season in MLB history came in the American League in 1999 when Tim Wakefield won six games in 17 starts and attained 15 saves for the Boston Red Sox).

[citation needed] In 2001, Dotel again began the season as a starter but moved into the bullpen as the setup man for Wagner.

Dotel had an excellent season in 2002; he led all relievers with 118 strikeouts and helped secure a well-reputed bullpen for the Astros at that time.

[12] Dotel served as closer for the Athletics and finished the 2004 season with a combined 6–6 record with a 3.69 ERA and a career-high 36 saves (22 for the A's and 14 for the Astros) in 77 relief appearances.

[21] On January 21, 2010, Dotel agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, plus bonuses for games finished.

[8] On December 29, 2010, Dotel agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays with a club option for 2012.

On July 27, 2011, Dotel was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with Edwin Jackson, Marc Rzepczynski and Corey Patterson for Colby Rasmus, P. J. Walters, Trever Miller and Brian Tallet.

On October 31, 2011, it was announced that Cardinals would not pick up his team option for the 2012 season, making Dotel a type A free agent.

[34] Dotel entered the World Series for the second year in a row, but the Tigers lost to the San Francisco Giants in a four-game sweep.

[37] On October 3, 2014, Dotel announced his retirement from professional baseball at the age of 40 after pitching 15 seasons for 13 MLB teams.