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

Alex Vesia and his wife Kayla are mourning the loss of their baby.

The Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, 29, and his wife shared a joint statement on Friday, Nov. 7, announcing that their daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia, was stillborn.

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

“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 post continued.

The couple went on to thank the Dodgers organization for its support, following the team’s World Series win 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.”

“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,” the Vesias continued.

“Lastly, we’d like to thank Cedars Sinai and all the medical staff who helped Kayla and Sterling. Every person we came across was truly so incredible,” the post ended, as the couple signed off: “With Love, The Vesias.”

Vesia and his wife first announced in April that they were expecting their first child together.

Ahead of the Dodgers’ World Series appearance, the team issued a statement, sharing that Vesia wouldn’t play with 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 statement began. “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”

In a press conference, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked about Vesia stepping away amid the World Series. “I think right now we’re in the mode of trying to understand the process, the rules — 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 also explained the decision not to put Vesia on the Family Medical Emergency List, which would have allowed him to join the team after a minimum of three days.

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

The team also showed its support for the pitcher a number of times during World Series week.

During Game 3 against the Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 27, several Dodgers players were seen wearing no. 51 on their caps as a tribute to Vesia.

Pitcher Justin Wrobleski was among teammates showing solidarity by wearing the left-handed pitcher’s number.

“I’m new to the bullpen. But Ves, he means a lot to all of us,” said Clayton Kershaw in a press conference 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.”