Dodgers LHP Alex Vesia away from team to attend personal matter

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS FROM LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, AND PITCHER, BLAKE SNELL, AHEAD OF WORLD SERIES GAME ONE AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS SHOWS: TORONTO, CANADA (OCTOBER 23, 2025) (MLB – Editorial use only. No monetisation.) 1. LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, ON ALEX VESIA'S ABSENCE, SAYING: "Yeah, you know what? I think right now, we're in the mode of trying to understand the process, the rules, a way that we could sort of, you know, try to navigate the roster. So I think we have a little bit of time – I think 10 o'clock tomorrow or something like that — to finalise our roster. But, yeah, we're going through the process of trying to backfill his spot on the roster." 3. WHITE FLASH 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, ON ALEX VESIA'S ABSENCE, SAYING: REPORTER ASKING: "Just to clarify that, are you anticipating he won't be available this series or is there a way that maybe if it's, like, a bereavement situation or something like that, he could – you could add him later?" ROBERTS: "You know what, honestly, Jack, I think we're just going day-to-day with really no expectations." 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, ON HIS TEAM'S EXPERIENCE AGAINST A TEAM IN THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS WHO HAVEN'T MADE THE WORLD SERIES SINCE 1993,  AYING: "First off, we're very excited to be here as well. I think that some part of it you could argue that the naivety, the inexperience, is a good thing, you know? But I feel that the ability to manage moments, your heartbeat, is advantageous, especially in a seven-game series. So, I think that we're equipped to play well, and we're facing a very good ball club. But, yeah, I like the experience, but I also like the enthusiasm that those guys have. And we have some of those guys too." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, ON SHOHEI OHTANI, SAYING: "I hope it's completely different for Shohei. Certainly having him healthy going in is a great thing. I think him kind of feeding off that last game is a good thing. You know, last year, it was just more of just being able to post and stand in the batter's box and do whatever he could to sort of help us, where I think this year he's equipped to have a big series. And he's just going to have to be smart and disciplined because they're going to pitch him careful. And he's just got to be smart. And if he's disciplined, then it should bode well for him and for all of us." 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES DODGERS MANAGER, DAVE ROBERTS, ON THE DODGERS BEING PORTRAYED AS VILLAINS, SAYING: "I don't feel like I'm the villain. I was just poking fun at some people that said that the Dodgers were ruining baseball. Clearly I don't believe that. I think that baseball is in a great place right now. Very great players, very exciting. Viewership is up. This is going to be a great World Series. So, I was just having a little fun with people that said that about the Dodgers, but I hope I'm not the villain." 10. DODGERS PITCHER, BLAKE SNELL, ARRIVING 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LOS ANGELES DODGERS PITCHERS, BLAKE SNELL, ON THE BLUE JAYS NAMING ROOKIE, TREY YESAVAGE, AS THEIR GAME ONE STARTER, SAYING: "I don't know. I don't know his journey versus what my journey was to get to the big leagues. Maybe he's pitched in a lot of games that have prepared him for it. I mean I know he's been doing good with the playoffs. He had a really good game and a tough one and a decent one. So, I don't know. There's just so much. He's facing a Dodgers line-up that's really good. How is he going to react to that. There's so many questions. And I don't know him personally, so I don't know, like, the make-up, but it's definitely a difficult task for him." STORY: Left-handed reliever Alex Vesia is away from the Los Angeles Dodgers while dealing with a "deeply personal family matter," the team announced on Thursday (October 23), and will miss at least the first two games of the World Series. "The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family," the Dodgers said in a statement, "and we will provide an update at a later date." Per USA Today, Vesia and his wife, Kayla, have been expecting their first child. Vesia, 29, is a key component of the Dodgers' bullpen, posting a 3.86 ERA over seven appearances this postseason. Whether he returns during the Fall Classic remains to be seen. "I think right now we're in the mode of trying to understand the process, the rules, a way that we could sort of try to navigate the roster," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "I think we have a little bit of time, 10:00 (a.m. ET on Friday) or something like that, to finalize our roster, but yeah, we're going through the process of trying to backfill his spot on the roster. "Honestly … I think we're just going day to day with really no expectations." With World Series rosters due by Friday morning ahead of Game 1 in Toronto, the Dodgers could place Vesia on the family medical emergency list. If they go that route, Vesia would be required to sit out a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven days, meaning he could potentially be back for Game 3 in Los Angeles. Vesia, who delivered a 3.02 ERA and five saves in 68 regular-season appearances, could be replaced by fellow southpaw reliever Tanner Scott, who has yet to pitch this postseason. In the first year of a four-year, $72 million contract, the 31-year-old Scott struggled en route to a 4.74 ERA and lost his closer role to Roki Sasaki. Scott recently underwent a procedure for an abscess on his lower body, but told reporters this week that he felt "a lot better now" and has resumed throwing bullpen sessions. (Production: Conal Quinn)

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