On the eve of Game 1 of the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that relief pitcher Alex Vesia would temporarily step away from the team due to a deeply personal family matter involving his wife, Kayla. The news deeply affected teammates and coaches across Major League Baseball.
In support of Vesia, members of the Dodgers bullpen marked their gear with his number as a tribute. During Game 6, players from the Toronto Blue Jays were also seen doing the same, turning a tough moment into an inspiring show of unity between teams in the midst of fierce competition.
“It’s everything. I didn’t learn that until after the game last night, and I think it really speaks to the brotherhood of athletes, Major League Baseball players. They’ll all say that ‘baseball is what we do but it’s not who we are,’ and for these guys to recognize Alex, and what he and Kayla have gone through, heartbreaking is not even a good enough descriptor.”
“But for them to acknowledge that, it just speaks to how much respect and love that they have for one another. It’s a huge, huge tribute to Alex.”
Roberts’ comments reflected how deeply the situation resonated within the entire organization and beyond. The gesture has come to represent the shared humanity and compassion among athletes even in the most competitive moments of their careers.
Dave Roberts praised the empathy shown across teams for Alex Vesia, highlighting the strong bond and humanity among baseball players beyond the game itself.