Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia missed the World Series due to a “deeply personal matter,” though his presence was still felt on the field.
The Dodgers’ bullpen wrote No. 51 on the side of their hats to honor him, and for Game 6 of the series, the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen responded by doing the same.
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It was a special moment that transcended the baseball being played on the field, showing the greater unity that the athletes on all of the teams share.
The Dodgers ultimately won the World Series after a dramatic Game 7 victory, securing their second consecutive title and establishing the organization’s baseball dynasty.
Game 3 hero Will Klein, who secured his spot on the roster after Vesia was removed, revealed their communication to Vesia upon winning the title and concluding their season.
“We’ve all messaged him and just wanted him to know the he was in our heart. We did this all for him,” Klein told reporters.
“He’s such a big part of why we were here in the first place. To be able to get this for them [Vesia and his family]… there are harder places to be than on a World Series mound. So, what they’re going through isn’t great.”
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Further information or details regarding the reason for his absence have not been shared, likely out of respect for Vesia’s privacy.
While specifics are not available, manager Dave Roberts labeled the matter as “heartbreaking” when asked about his thoughts on the Blue Jays sharing in their homage to their reliever.
“It’s everything,” Roberts said. “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 [Vesia’s wife] 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.”
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