Vesia grateful for support after daughter's death

PHOENIX -- Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia spoke publicly Friday for the first time since losing a newborn daughter in the middle of last year's World Series, reading from an emotionally charged statement for a little more than six minutes.

In it, Vesia thanked the Dodgers for their support, touched on the impact of so many others offering their condolences, and revealed he and his wife have sought therapy to help with the grieving process. He implored others who have navigated a similar tragedy to do the same.

"The lessons we've learned from this is that life can change in an instant," Vesia said, reading from his smartphone and pausing intermittently to gather his emotions. "Ten minutes is all it took. Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world. We got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her and love her. Our time together was far too short. Kay and I will keep those precious moments and memories to ourselves. I hope that anyone listening can empathize and respect our wishes for privacy as we continue to heal and as we navigate the ups and downs of a baseball season.

"Stepping away from the team and the brothers I go to war with every day was difficult. But it was also an easy decision because my family needed me. We still watched every pitch of the World Series, and for us, in so many ways, that was a light in our darkness."

Vesia, a critical piece to the back end of the Dodgers' bullpen, was taken off the roster ahead of the World Series in late October, with his wife, Kayla, due to give birth. Their daughter, Sterling Sol, passed two days later, when the series shifted from Toronto to L.A. In Game 6, all the Blue Jays' relievers wore Vesia's No. 51 on their caps. Vesia's bullpen teammates had the number inscribed throughout the series, which saw the Dodgers prevail in seven hotly contested games.

The NFL's Los Angeles Rams later gifted Vesia a jersey signed by the entire team, with his daughter's name emblazoned on the back. Vesia said he will soon hang it on a wall in his house.

"The outpouring of love and support Kay and I have had over the past few months has been unmatched," he said. "We're both grateful to not only Dodger nation but the fans worldwide. My DMs, messages -- my DMs are basically broken on Instagram from all the love and support that we've had. I've tried to read all the comments and everything just because it's meant the world, really."

Vesia, 29, arrived in Arizona in early November and immediately began to work out. He called the gym his "mental clarity." Shortly thereafter, he began his throwing program. On Friday, ahead of the Dodgers' first official workout of spring training, Vesia threw a bullpen session from the team's complex at Camelback Ranch.

"Being around the guys again, preparing for spring training, it's been really nice," Vesia said. "Gotten a lot of love so far in the clubhouse, and being able to laugh and joke around -- that's been really nice for me."

Vesia has been one of the Dodgers' most trusted relievers over the past five years, putting up a 2.67 ERA in 295 regular-season appearances since his first full season in 2021 -- not to mention a 1.86 ERA in 19⅓ playoff innings. That will continue in 2026, even after the offseason acquisition of star closer Edwin Diaz.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spent about a half hour chatting with Vesia on Thursday and believes returning to baseball will be "therapeutic." Six weeks before reporting, Vesia and his wife began to see a therapist. He said it "hasn't been easy, but talking to someone has made a difference."

"I've learned that what has happened to us has also happened to so many families," Vesia added. "And realizing that has deepened our empathy and our gratitude for this community. The baseball community is extremely strong. I was not prepared to not bring my baby girl home, but we're carrying her with us every day. It's been hard, but we're doing OK."