TORONTO — Left-handed relief pitcher Alex Vesia did not travel with the Dodgers to Toronto ahead of the World Series opener. The team announced on Thursday that Vesia and his wife are dealing with “a deeply personal family matter.”
Vesia’s wife, Kayla, has been pregnant.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was not sure how long Vesia, one of their most trusted relievers, will be unavailable and the Dodgers are “in the mode of trying to understand the process, the rules, a way that we could sort of try to navigate the roster.”
The Dodgers have until Friday morning (7 a.m. PT), the day of Game 1 at the Rogers Centre, to submit their roster for the World Series. MLB has a family medical emergency list that requires a minimum of three days and a maximum of seven days off of the roster. If MLB allows the Dodgers to place Vesia on family emergency leave, he could be eligible to be added to the roster at some point during the best-of-seven series, potentially as soon as Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.
“Honestly, I think we’re just going day-to-day with really no expectations,” Roberts said.
Vesia went 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 68 regular-season games. He is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven postseason appearances.
Left-hander Tanner Scott was taken off the Dodgers’ roster during the National League Division Series after undergoing a minor medical procedure. He was ineligible for the NL Championship Series but could be on the World Series roster now.