Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia went on leave while the team played against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series. As fans questioned what happened to Alex, the team released a statement regarding his hiatus, labeling it as a “personal matter” with his family.
“It is 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 statement read. “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”
Even though the series didn’t work out for the Blue Jays, they wore Alex’s number, 51, on their caps during game 6.
Below, learn what we know so far about Alex’s family situation and updates on his return to baseball.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 23, 2025
Is Alex Vesia OK? Why He’s Away From Dodgers Bullpen
Alex does not appear to have an injury or an illness, but since he has yet to publicly comment on his hiatus, it’s unclear if he is managing a physical issue. As previously noted, the Dodgers stated that Alex is off the World Series roster for a “personal matter.”
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said the team was “anticipating” Alex being off the roster for the World Series “unless something unforeseen happens.”
“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,” Dave said, per Dodgers Nation. “And to be quite honest, I don’t know a lot of what went into it.”
Dave later said the word “heartbreaking” wasn’t enough to describe Alex’s situation, according to Newsweek. The manager praised the Dodgers for including the number 51 on their caps in honor of Alex.
“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,” Dave said. “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.”
When Will Alex Vesia Return to the Dodgers?
Since it’s unclear what is going on with him, Alex’s estimated return date to the Dodgers is still unknown, but he will presumably play next season. If he was placed on the family emergency medical list, Alex could have been activated later during the World Series. However, President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman clarified that Alex was not placed on the list because the MLB “didn’t want to have any potential for any kind of pressure.”
“This is so much bigger than baseball,” Friedman said, per MLB.com. “For us, it was doing whatever small part we could to just 100 percent be supportive.”
What Happened With Alex Vesia & His Family?
Neither Alex nor Kayla has publicly addressed the reason behind his departure, but they were expecting their first child. Kayla announced the news in April 2025.
Do Alex Vesia & His Wife Have Children?
Not at the moment, but Alex and his wife, Kayla, were expecting their first child this year. As seen in their respective Instagram posts, Kayla was pregnant. She was on the field with Alex to celebrate the Dodgers’ NLCS victory less than a week before the Dodgers announced his “personal matter.”
Neither Alex nor Kayla has publicly commented on their family’s situation.