The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the World Series Friday night at the Rogers Centre, but one notable face will be missing.
The Dodgers announced Thursday left-handed reliever Alex Vesia was away from the team because of a “deeply personal family matter.” Friday morning, the Dodgers released their World Series roster and Vesia was not included.
As for whether the star reliever returns for a portion of the Fall Classic, manager Dave Roberts revealed the team does not expect Vesia to join the team.
“That’s probably the most likely — unless something unforeseen happens — that’s what we’re anticipating,” Roberts said.
Roberts was also asked whether the Dodgers considered placing Vesia on the Family Medical Emergency List.
“I think we exhausted a couple different options, but just considering obviously what he’s going through and baseball’s certainly on the backburner, so I just think that’s the right process that we as an organization (thought) was probably the best way to handle it,” Roberts said. “And to be quite honest, I don’t know a lot of what went into it.”
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman added that the Dodgers did not want to put any sort of pressure on Vesia by placing him on the Family Medical Emergency List.
“Yeah I mean we just didn’t want to have any potential for any kind of pressure,” Friedman said of the team’s decision. “This is so much bigger than baseball and for us it was doing whatever small part we could to just, 100 percent be supportive.”
The Dodgers won’t have two left-handers in Vesia and Tanner Scott, who were both left off the roster. Instead, the Dodgers have added right-handed relievers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein.
Roberts added he trusts each and every one of the arms in the Dodgers bullpen as the team navigates the absence of Vesia.
“We have a lot of viable options and I don’t know what situation will present itself but I trust all the guys, I really do. And guys are gonna have to step up, but Alex is certainly gonna be missed,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers’ full statement on Vesia read: “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 entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”
Vesia emerged as the Dodgers’ most consistent reliever throughout the 2025 season, which featured an ailing bullpen. The left-hander made seven appearances for LA in October, including six consecutive scoreless frames.
Regardless, baseball is a secondary matter in this instance.
“It’s certainly on our hearts and we miss him and we’ll be thinking about him,” Roberts said of Vesia. “And certainly he’s a part of this.”
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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