Blue Jays Honor Dodgers' Alex Vesia with Tribute Caps
During the final two games of the 2025 World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays donned caps featuring the number 51, a gesture of solidarity with the Los Angeles Dodgers and their pitcher, Alex Vesia, who is currently on leave for personal reasons.
The Dodgers made the announcement on their official Instagram account on October 23, revealing that Vesia, 29, would be stepping away from the team to address a “deeply personal matter” alongside his wife, Kayla.
In a statement, the organization expressed their support: “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.” This news broke just before Game 1 of the World Series.
By Game 3, which took place on October 27, the Dodgers had begun wearing Vesia’s number on their caps as a tribute to their teammate. “I’m new to the bullpen. But Ves, he means a lot to all of us,” said Clayton Kershaw, a veteran pitcher for the Dodgers, during a press conference following Game 3. “He’s a huge part of the team, a huge part of the bullpen, so we wanted to do something to honor him.”
In a show of unity, Blue Jays relievers Chris Bassitt, Seranthony Dominguez, Mason Fluharty, and Louis Varland also participated in this tribute during Game 6.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts emphasized the significance of this gesture before Game 7 in Toronto. “I didn’t learn that until after the game last night. I think it really speaks to the brotherhood of athletes… It just speaks to how much respect and love they have for one another. It’s a huge, huge tribute to Alex,” he stated.
Outfielder Enrique Hernandez shared his thoughts on the tribute after noticing Bassitt wearing the “51” following a strikeout in Game 6. “Instead of being mad that I struck out, I was kind of going back to the dugout thinking, ‘Did Bassitt play with Vesia at some point?’” he remarked.
Hernandez continued, “For those guys to do that, it’s incredible. They’re trying to win a World Series, but they understand that life is bigger than baseball and baseball is just a game. For them to do that, with the stakes, hats off to them. I want them to know that we appreciate them.”
Vesia has been with the Dodgers since 2021 and has established himself as one of their key left-handed relievers. His regular-season record stands at 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA across 68 games, while he has posted a 2-0 record with a 3.86 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged the importance of recognizing personal struggles within the sport. “We have a lot of good people, a lot of good humans in there that are husbands and fathers and all that kind of stuff, that just appreciate what we all do and the hardships that come with it,” Schneider noted.
As of now, there has been no further update from the Dodgers regarding Vesia’s situation; he did not return to the team during the World Series. The Dodgers ultimately secured their second consecutive championship with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 7 on November 1.
