Alex Vesia rejoined the Los Angeles Dodgers in spring training following a difficult period marked by the death of his newborn daughter, Sterling. The 2026 MLB season got underway with Vesia expressing gratitude to his teammates and fans for their support during a profoundly challenging time.
Strong Performance in Dodgers’ Preseason Game Against Mariners
In one of his first appearances this preseason, Vesia demonstrated why he remains essential to the Dodgers’ bullpen. In an exhibition game versus the Seattle Mariners, he retired all three batters faced, helping Los Angeles maintain a 2-0 lead before the bottom of the fifth inning.
Background and Career Highlights of Alex Vesia
Vesia was originally selected by the Miami Marlins in the 17th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of California State University, East Bay in Hayward. He became part of the Dodgers organization in 2021, traded alongside Kyle Hurt for Dylan Floro. Since joining Los Angeles, Vesia has appeared in 321 games, with 295 in the regular season and 26 postseason outings. His career earned run average (ERA) stands at 2.67, highlighted by a personal best of 1.76 during the 2024 campaign.
Importance of Vesia and Team Dynamics in 2026
While the Dodgers enhanced their bullpen stability in 2026 by adding elite closer Edwin Diaz, the team’s success relies on more than just late-inning performance. To consistently close out games, the Dodgers need reliable pitching from players like Vesia in earlier innings. Offensive contributions from key hitters such as Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, and Will Smith will also be critical, along with dependable fielding—avoiding situations where bench players like Kike Hernandez must pitch in blowouts.
Welcome back, Alex Vesia 💙👏 pic.twitter.com/4j7lFPJutH
— MLB (@MLB) February 23, 2026
Welcome back, Alex Vesia 💙👏 pic.twitter.com/4j7lFPJutH
— MLB (@MLB) February 23, 2026
