Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia returned to the mound after leaving in the middle of the 2025 postseason due to a family tragedy.
Vesia left the Dodgers during the NLCS, joining his wife as they mourned the loss of their daughter, Sterling Sol.
The reason for his departure was not immediately clear, but the Dodgers spoke of the matter in a somber tone, calling it a tragic event.
In the offseason, Vesia and his wife, Kayla, revealed that their newborn daughter passed away in an Instagram post.
During the World Series, the Dodgers’ bullpen wrote Vesia’s number, 51, on the sides of their hats, a gesture the Toronto Blue Jays reciprocated as the series progressed, standing in solidarity with the missing pitcher as they learned what he was going through.
Vesia, after seeking help for him and his wife through the form of therapy, reported to Dodgers’ Spring Training ready to get back on the field and use baseball as aveune to deal with his loss.
On Monday, Vesia made his first appearance since the NLCS against the Seattle Mariners in a Cactus League game, throwing a 1,2,3 inning with a total of 17 pitches along with a strikeout.
Alex Vesia’s statement during Spring Training
During Spring Training, in his first address to the public, Vesia cleared the air with a prepared statement, getting emotional during the delivery.
“When Kay and I were watching the World Series, we noticed that there was 51 on (Blue Jays reliever) Louie Varland’s hat,” Vesia said.
“I immediately texted Gus Varland, his brother (and a former teammate), and I asked him if I was seeing that correctly. He texted me back right away, and he said, ‘The Varlands love you, dude. The whole Toronto bullpen has it, too. It’s bigger than baseball. We love you all.’
“We were super overwhelmed with emotion and the baseball community, the relationships that you make along the way, it showed that it’s much bigger than baseball. The outpouring of love and support Kay and I have had over the past few months has been unmatched.
“We’re both grateful to not only Dodger nation, but the fans worldwide. My DMs, messages, are basically broken on Instagram from all the love and support that we’ve had. I’ve tried to read all the comments and everything just because it’s meant the world, really.”
