Life hits you fast. One minute you're the high-energy lefty relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, pumping your fists after a massive strikeout, and the next, your entire world is upside down.
Honestly, the story of the Alex Vesia baby is one of the most heartbreaking things to come out of the 2025 MLB season. It’s a reminder that beneath the jerseys and the multi-million dollar contracts, these guys are just humans dealing with the same "real life" wreckage we all do.
If you were following the Dodgers during their 2025 World Series run against the Toronto Blue Jays, you probably noticed Alex Vesia was missing. He’d been a total workhorse all year—4-2 record, a 3.02 ERA across 68 games. Then, right before Game 1 in Toronto, he vanished from the roster. The team called it a "deeply personal family matter."
People speculated. Was it an injury? A contract thing? It wasn't until November that the world found out the devastating truth.
The Loss of Sterling Sol Vesia
Basically, while the Dodgers were fighting for another ring, Alex and his wife, Kayla Vesia, were in a hospital room fighting a much different battle. On November 7, 2025, the couple shared a joint post on Instagram that basically stopped everyone in their tracks.
Their daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia, had passed away on October 26, 2025.
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She was their first child. They’d announced the pregnancy back in April 2025 with a really sweet photo on the field at Dodger Stadium. Everything seemed like it was going according to plan. You’ve seen those announcements—the tiny jerseys, the ultrasound pics. It was supposed to be the best year of their lives. Instead, it became a nightmare.
"Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday, October 26th," they wrote. They described the pain as something they couldn't even put into words. It’s the kind of thing no parent should ever have to type out.
Why Baseball Felt Small in October 2025
Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, handled the situation with a lot of grace. He was blunt about it before the Series started, saying this was "so much bigger than baseball." They didn't want Alex feeling any pressure to pitch while his family was in crisis.
The support from the "baseball family" was actually pretty incredible to watch.
- Dodgers players started writing "51" (Alex’s number) on their caps during Game 3.
- Blue Jays relievers—the guys they were literally trying to beat—started doing the same thing by Game 6.
- Fans in the stands held up signs of support throughout the postseason.
It’s rare to see that kind of cross-team solidarity. It shows you just how much respect people have for Vesia. He’s usually the guy bringing the energy, but this time, the whole league had to bring the energy for him.
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Kayla Vesia’s Return to Social Media
For a long time, things went quiet. You didn't hear much from them through the end of 2025. Then, just a couple of weeks ago on January 2, 2026, Kayla finally posted a video on TikTok.
She looked tired. She sounded raw. Honestly, it was a very "human" moment in an era of filtered influencer content. She admitted that every day is still different and they’re just trying to get through it.
One thing she said really stuck with me: "I was prepared for whatever was gonna happen, but I wasn't prepared for not taking my baby home."
She’s planning on sharing more of her journey eventually. Not because she wants to be the "sad girl" on the internet—she actually said she doesn't want to come on and just cry—but because she wants to help other women who have dealt with infant loss. It’s a lonely, quiet kind of grief, and she’s trying to use her platform to make it a little less silent.
Navigating the "After"
Right now, the Vesias are working with therapists and leaning on their community. They’ve been together since 2019, through the Marlins days and the move to LA, and they only just got married in January 2024. This was supposed to be their "honeymoon phase."
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As we head into the 2026 season, people are naturally wondering when Alex will be back on the mound. While he’s a professional athlete and baseball is his job, the mental toll of a loss like this doesn't just disappear because Spring Training starts.
The Dodgers have been vocal about their support, and it’s likely he’ll take whatever time he needs. The "Alex Vesia baby" story isn't just a footnote in a sports almanac; it's a real-time look at how a couple navigates the worst thing that can happen to them while the rest of the world is watching.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Supporters
If you're following this story and want to know how to respond or what to take away from it, here's the reality of the situation:
- Respect the Privacy: While Kayla has started posting again, they are still in the very early stages of grief. Avoid asking for "details" about what happened. If they want to share, they will.
- Support Organizations: The Vesias specifically thanked the medical staff at Cedars-Sinai. Supporting maternal and infant health charities is a great way to honor Sterling’s memory.
- Understand the "Human" Side of Sports: Next time a player is struggling on the field or takes a sudden leave of absence, remember this story. We often don't know the half of what's happening behind the locker room doors.
- Acknowledge Loss: If you or someone you know has experienced something similar, organizations like Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support offer resources that the Vesias themselves have hinted are vital for navigating this kind of trauma.
The 2026 season will likely see Alex back in blue, but he'll be carrying a lot more than just a baseball in his glove this year.