For the final two games of the 2025 World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in honoring the pitcher. Alex Vesiawho was forced to take a leave of absence from the Dodgers to attend to a personal family matter.
Both teams wore Vesia’s number 51 on their caps as a tribute.
The Dodgers announced via their official Instagram account on Thursday, Oct. 23 that Vesia, 29, would be stepping away from the team “as are he and his wife. Kayla navigating a deeply personal issue.”
“The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family and we will provide an update at a later date,” the team said in a statement.
The game announcement before Game 1 of the World Series. During Game 3 on Monday, October 27, the Dodgers started wearing his number 51 on his capsin honor of his teammate.
“I’m new to the bullpen. But Ves, he means a lot to all of us,” the Dodgers pitcher said. Clayton Kershaw in a subsequent press conference Game 3. “He’s a big part of the team, a big part of the bullpen, so we wanted to do something to honor him.”
For Game 6, the Blue Jays relievers Chris Bassitt, Seranthony Dominguez, Mason Fluharty i Louis Varland all joined in the tribute.
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(Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)“It’s everything,” the Dodgers manager said Dave Roberts in media before Game 7 in Toronto. “I didn’t learn that until after the game last night. I think it really speaks to the brotherhood of the athletes. … It just speaks to the respect and love they have for each other. It’s a huge, huge tribute to Alex.”
Dodgers outfielder Enrique Hernandez said he noticed Bassitt was wearing “51” after he sat down during Game 6.
“Instead of being mad that I got into the game, I was going back to the dugout thinking, ‘Did Bassitt play Vesia at some point?’ Hernandez told the media.
He continued, “For these guys to do it, it’s amazing. They’re trying to win a World Series, but they understand that life is bigger than baseball and baseball is just a game. For them to do it, with the stakes, hats off to them. I want them to know that we appreciate them.”
When the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the World Series, they honored teammate Alex Vesia, who is absent due to a personal issue. During the game at Dodger Stadium on Monday, October 27, several Dodgers players, including pitcher Justin Wrobleski, wore the number of Vesia, 51, on their caps as (…)
Vesia has pitched for the Dodgers since 2021 and is considered one of their most valuable left-handed relievers. He went 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 68 regular-season games and was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
Manager of the Blue Jays John Schneider he recognized the importance of the tribute.
“We’ve got a lot of good people, a lot of good humans in there who are husbands and fathers and all that kind of stuff, who just appreciate what we all do and the hardships that come with it,” Schneider said.
The Dodgers have not announced a new update on the Vesia family, but he did not join the team during the World Series. The team won their second consecutive championship with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 7 on Saturday, November 1st.