The Los Angeles Dodgers revealed their roster for the World Series this morning, and the absence of left-handed reliever Alex Vesia was particularly noteworthy. The team announced that Vesia and his wife are currently facing a “deeply personal family matter,” and further updates will be provided in due time. Manager Dave Roberts stated that Vesia is “most likely” to miss the World Series, given his exclusion from the roster. While Vesia could have been available as an injury replacement, the team opted not to place him on the family emergency list to avoid adding any pressure on his return.
Vesia has held a crucial role in the Dodgers bullpen for the past five seasons, boasting impressive statistics with a 2.68 ERA and a 3.16 SIERA across 270 innings since 2021. Only two relievers, Emmanuel Clase and Raisel Iglesias, have bettered his ERA in that span. After a brief stint on the injured list due to an oblique strain earlier this season, Vesia returned to form, performing effectively in the playoffs despite an early setback where he allowed two earned runs. Following that, he showcased his potential by delivering 4 1/3 scoreless innings, achieving either a win or hold in each of his subsequent six appearances. His absence will likely be felt against a formidable Blue Jays lineup, which has been performing exceptionally in October.
In another bullpen update, Roberts explained that Tanner Scott was not included in the World Series roster due to concerns about his recent throwing sessions. He clarified that this was a “medical” decision rather than an indictment of Scott’s capabilities. Scott had previously been removed from the NLDS roster to undergo a minor procedure for a lower-body abscess, making him ineligible for the NLCS. Although he had expressed a desire to rejoin the team if they advanced to the World Series, it was uncertain whether he would have sufficient time to regain readiness.
Scott struggled during his first season of a four-year, $72 million contract with the Dodgers, recording a 4.74 ERA and blowing ten saves in 33 opportunities. Despite these challenges, analytics pointed to the potential of his pitches, with models like PitchingBot and Stuff+ remaining optimistic about his arsenal. His 3.43 SIERA indicated that his ERA was possibly influenced by bad luck, and the Dodgers continued to rely on him in high-pressure situations. With Vesia and Scott both absent, the Dodgers will miss the two left-handed pitchers they leaned on the most in critical moments throughout the season.