Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia has opened up about the heartbreaking reason behind his absence during the team’s recent World Series campaign.
Fans grew concerned when Vesia was missing from the lineup since the start of the championship series. The Dodgers initially attributed it to a “deeply personal family matter,” and now, Vesia and his wife, Kayla, have shared the devastating truth — their newborn daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia, passed away on October 26.
In an emotional Instagram post shared Friday, the couple expressed the unbearable grief they’ve endured over the past weeks.
“Our little angel, we love you forever and you’ll always be with us,” they wrote. “Our beautiful daughter went to heaven on Sunday, October 26th. There are no words to describe this pain, but we hold her in our hearts and treasure every moment we had with her.”
The post included a tender photo showing their hands gently placed over their baby daughter’s.
The heartbreaking news was made public days after the Dodgers secured their championship win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
“Thank you to the Dodgers for their compassion and support during this time,” the Vesias added. “Our baseball family has surrounded us with love, and we couldn’t have made it through without them.”
In a moving tribute, several Dodgers players wore Vesia’s number 51 on their caps during Game 3 at Dodger Stadium on October 27.
Veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw shared:
“I’m new to the bullpen, but Ves means a lot to all of us. He’s a big part of this team and our bullpen, so we wanted to honor him and his family.”
Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman emphasized that the organization’s focus was on providing full support to Vesia and his family during their tragedy.
“This is so much bigger than baseball,” Friedman said. “Our only priority was to be there for them in any way we could.”
Friedman also explained why Vesia was not placed on the Family Medical Emergency List, which would have required him to return after just three days.
“We didn’t want there to be any pressure on him at all,” Friedman said.
The entire Dodgers community continues to rally around Alex and Kayla, sending love and strength as they navigate an unimaginable loss.