Dodgers Honor Absent Alex Vesia in Lengthy World Series Victory

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been showing strong support for reliever Alex Vesia, who is absent from the 2025 World Series due to a "deeply personal family matter," reportedly related to the impending birth of his first child with wife Kayla. During Game 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays, several Dodgers pitchers, including Clayton Kershaw and rookie Justin Wrobleski, honored Vesia by wearing his number 51 on their caps, demonstrating the team's solidarity and respect for their teammate. The Dodgers communicated that Vesia's absence is significant but chose not to place him on the family medical emergency list to avoid pressuring him to return prematurely. Despite Vesia's and Tanner Scott's absences, the Dodgers won the marathon 18-inning Game 3 with a walk-off home run by Freddie Freeman, underscoring their resilience. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman emphasized that Vesia's situation goes beyond baseball, highlighting the personal nature of his leave. The team's gesture and public support have been widely praised by fans and commentators as a poignant reminder of the human side of sports.