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The first time Alex Vesia walked out to the backfields this spring, he heard something he did not expect.
Cheers.
Not the loud, playoff kind. Not the roar of October at Dodger Stadium. Just steady applause from fans lining the fences at camp.
After everything he and his wife Kayla endured last fall, it hit differently.
“It’s been hard, actually. Hard in a good way,” Vesia said this week. “We walk out and there are cheers and lots of love. It means a lot to myself, and Kay, too.”
For the Los Angeles Dodgers reliever, this spring is not just about getting loose arms and building innings. It is about returning to normal life after the unimaginable.
A loss bigger than baseball
In October, as the Dodgers were chasing another championship, Vesia and his wife lost their newborn daughter, Sterling Sol.
There is no baseball language for that kind of grief.
Vesia did not pitch in the World Series. Instead, teammates honored him quietly. Players from the Dodgers and even the Toronto Blue Jays wore No. 51 on their caps in tribute to him.
It was a small gesture in a massive moment. But it mattered.
Now, months later, Vesia is back in uniform. Back in a clubhouse. Back on a mound.
And he is feeling the support in a way he never has before.
“The guys are my brothers”
When Vesia talks about this return, he does not start with pitch mix or mechanics.
He talks about people.
“Being around the guys, it’s been really comforting,” he said. “We’ve had multiple conversations. The guys are my brothers and I truly do love all of them.”
He does not want the subject avoided. He does not want teammates pretending it did not happen. Talking about it has helped. Sharing it has helped.
That openness has created a different kind of bond inside the Dodgers clubhouse this spring.
Baseball players often describe teammates as family. In Vesia’s case, that word carries real weight right now.
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Back on the mound, but not the same
Vesia made his 2026 spring debut with a clean inning and a strikeout. On paper, it looked like another routine appearance from one of the most dependable left-handed relievers in the game.
He owns a career ERA under 3.00. He has appeared in more than 300 games. In the postseason, he has been even sharper, posting a sub-2.00 ERA across 26 outings.
The Dodgers exercised their club option for this season because they trust him in big spots.
But this year, every appearance feels different.
There is perspective now. There is a deeper understanding of what matters and what does not.
The cheers that mean more
Spring training crowds are usually light and relaxed. Autographs. Kids chasing foul balls. A few hundred fans enjoying the sun.
For Vesia, those fans have become something else.
A reminder that he is not alone.
The applause he hears when he steps onto the field is not just about strikeouts or championships. It is about support. About empathy. About a community showing up.
“It means a lot,” he said.
Simple words. Heavy meaning.
The Dodgers are chasing another title. Vesia will play a key role in that pursuit, just as he has in recent Octobers.
But this season is about more than baseball.
It is about showing up after heartbreak. About leaning on teammates. About hearing cheers and letting them carry you forward.
And for Alex Vesia, that might matter most of all.
English (US)