Dodgers Pitcher Alex Vesia and Wife Kayla Announce Loss of Their First Baby Together

Alex Vesia and his wife, Kayla, are grieving the loss of their baby girl.

The 29-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and his wife shared a joint statement on Friday, Nov. 7, announcing the death of their daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia.

“Our little angel,” the couple began their message on Instagram, alongside a photo of their hands resting on top of their daughter’s. “We love you forever & you’re with us always.”

They continued, “Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday, Oct. 26. There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through, but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.”

The couple expressed their gratitude to the Dodgers organization for its support following the team’s World Series victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Nov. 1.

“Our baseball family showed up for us, and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”

They also thanked fans across Major League Baseball for their compassion.

“Thank you Dodger Nation, Blue Jays organization, and all baseball fans for your love and support. We have seen all your messages, comments, and posts. It’s brought us so much comfort,” they wrote.

Finally, the couple extended appreciation to Cedars-Sinai and the medical staff who cared for Kayla and Sterling:

“Every person we came across was truly so incredible. With love, The Vesias.”

The couple had announced their pregnancy back in April, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their first child.

Dodgers’ Support During a Difficult Time

Before the World Series, the Dodgers shared a statement explaining that Vesia would be stepping away from the team due to a “deeply personal family matter.”

“It’s 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 organization said. “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”

During a press conference, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Vesia’s absence:

“I think right now we’re in the mode of trying to understand the process — a way that we can sort of try to navigate the roster,” Roberts said. “We’re going through the process of trying to backfill his spot on the roster.”

President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman added that the team chose not to place Vesia on the Family Medical Emergency List out of respect for his privacy and emotional space.

“We just didn’t want to have any potential for any kind of pressure,” Friedman said, according to Dodgers Nation. “This is so much bigger than baseball. For us, it was doing whatever small part we could to just 100% be supportive.”

Teammates Honor Vesia During the World Series

During Game 3 against the Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 27, several Dodgers players wore caps bearing the number 51 in tribute to Vesia.

Pitcher Justin Wrobleski and others showed their solidarity, while veteran star Clayton Kershaw spoke about what Vesia means to the team.

“I’m new to the bullpen. But Ves, he means a lot to all of us,” Kershaw said after the game. “He’s a huge part of the team, a huge part of the bullpen, so we wanted to do something to honor him.”