Reyes Moronta, former Dodgers and Angels pitcher, dies in vehicle crash

Former major league relief pitcher Reyes Moronta, a standout for the San Francisco Giants whose career included stints with the Dodgers and Angels, died Sunday. He was 31.

Moronta reportedly died in a vehicle crash in his home country of the Dominican Republic. The Mexican Baseball League and Bravos de León, one of Moronta’s former teams in the league, confirmed his death in separate social media posts Sunday night.

Moronta also played several seasons in the Dominican Republic winter league, and his former teams, the Estrellas Orientales and Gigantes del Cibao, honored him in Instagram posts Monday morning. The Águilas Cibaeñas, which had reportedly signed Moronta for the upcoming winter season, also posted a tribute.

Born in Santiago de los Caballeros, Moronta was 17 when he signed with the Giants organization in 2010. The 5-foot-10, 265-pound right-hander made his major league debut in 2017 and was a top reliever for the Giants the following two seasons.

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Moronta appeared in 69 games during the 2018 season, finishing with a 5-2 record with one save and a 2.49 earned-run average, and in 56 games during the 2019 season, he finished with a 3-7 record and a 2.86 ERA. He missed all of the 2020 season following shoulder surgery and pitched in only four games for the Giants in 2021.

The following season, Moronta pitched 22 games for the Dodgers, with a 4.18 ERA, before being designated for assignment in August. After being claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Moronta appeared in 17 games and had a 2-2 record with two saves and a 4.50 ERA.

He signed with the Angels the following spring and had a 6.75 ERA in two appearances. This season with the Bravos de León, Moronta appeared in 19 games and had a 2-4 record with four saves and an 8.69 ERA before being released Thursday.