Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed relief pitcher Alex Vesia returned to Dodger Stadium for the team's 2026 season opener on Thursday, days after missing the 2025 World Series due to a deeply personal family matter.[1]
Vesia, jersey number 51, did not pitch in the Fall Classic, which the Dodgers won. Days after the championship, he and his wife Kayla announced the death of their infant daughter, Sterling Sol.[2]
Kayla Vesia described opening day as "very bitter sweet" in a social media post. She wrote on Instagram: "What I would give to have my Sterling girl here, carrying her in my heart always."
In his first news conference of spring training, Vesia called his wife "the strongest person that I know" and "a support system for me every bit as much as I am for her." He said: "Life can change in an instant. For us, 10 minutes is all it took. Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world. We got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her and love her. Our time together was far too short."
Vesia added that stepping away from "the brothers that I go to war with every day" was difficult but necessary for his family. The family watched every pitch of the World Series, which he described as "a light in our darkness." He said: "I was not prepared to not bring my baby girl home, but we're carrying her with us every day. It's been hard, but we're doing OK."
A native of Orange, California, Vesia, 30, joined the Dodgers organization in a 2020 trade from the Seattle Mariners and debuted in 2021. He has served primarily as a late-inning reliever.[1][3]
Dodger Stadium, located in the Chavez Ravine section of Los Angeles, has been the Dodgers' home since 1962.[4]
Sources
- MLB.com
Article/page title: Alex Vesia - Los Angeles Dodgers - Left Handed Pitcher
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.mlb.com/player/alex-vesia-656257 - Fox News
Article/page title: Dodgers' Alex Vesia returns after family tragedy
Publication date: March 2026
Direct URL: https://www.foxnews.com/sports/los-angeles-dodgers-alex-vesia-opening-day-infant-daughter-death - Baseball-Reference.com
Article/page title: Alex Vesia Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Year
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vesiaal01.shtml - MLB.com
Article/page title: Dodger Stadium Information
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.mlb.com/dodgers/ballpark
