Starting on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers will begin the final stage of their quest to become the first back-to-back World Series champions since the New York Yankees defeated the New York Mets in 2000, completing a run of three consecutive titles. However, just over 24 hours before the first pitch is thrown in Toronto as Los Angeles faces the Blue Jays, the Dodgers made an upsetting announcement about one of their most important pitchers. This news clearly affects that player’s life and will also have an impact on the Dodgers’ chances to win the Series.
According to the Dodgers’ announcement, posted to the team’s official social media accounts at about 4 p.m. Pacific Time, left-handed relief specialist Alex Vesia will be “away from the team” as the World Series gets underway. The Dodgers did not specify whether the 29-year-old, six-year veteran would miss more than one game or even the entire series.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Alex Vesia is away from the team as he and his wife Kayla navigate a deeply personal family matter,” the Dodgers’ announcement read. “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”
### Vesia’s Situation ‘Day to Day’
Of course, the privacy of Vesia’s family remains paramount, and the Dodgers did not provide any details regarding the nature of the “deeply personal family matter” demanding Vesia’s attention. Still, fans and baseball experts understandably want to know how long the reliever will be unavailable and how his absence will affect the Dodgers’ plans.
As of late Thursday, it was unclear whether the Dodgers would be able to fill Vesia’s roster spot for the best-of-seven World Series or if they even wanted to do so. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted that he did not have a full understanding of the roster situation.
“I think right now we’re in the mode of trying to understand the process, the rules, a way that we can sort of try to navigate the roster,” Roberts said, as quoted by the blog Dodgers Nation. “We’re going through the process of trying to backfill his spot on the roster.”
Roberts also said he did not know exactly how long Vesia would be absent from the team.
“I think we’re just going day to day with really no expectations,” the 53-year-old, in his 10th season as Dodgers manager, added, per Dodgers Nation.
### Struggling Dodger Bullpen Takes a Hit
Vesia has been an important postseason arm for the Dodgers, not only this year but since joining the team in 2021 after a trade from the Miami Marlins, who drafted him in the 17th round in 2018. Vesia has pitched out of the Dodgers bullpen in nine postseason series during that span, throwing 19 1/3 innings with an impressive 1.86 ERA.
In last year’s World Series, Vesia pitched 2 2/3 innings without allowing a run, giving up just one hit and one walk. While Vesia struggled somewhat during the regular season, the entire Dodgers bullpen faced challenges. In terms of ERA, the 2025 Dodgers bullpen was the sixth-worst in franchise history since the team relocated from Brooklyn, New York, to Los Angeles in 1958.
The Dodgers will now have to navigate the World Series without the full availability of one of their key relief pitchers, making their quest for consecutive championships even more challenging.
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