LA Dodgers’ Alex Vesia shares death of baby daughter after sitting out World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vecia, who missed the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, said his infant daughter has died.

On Friday, Vesya and his wife shared the news on Instagram that their newborn daughter died on October 26 – in the middle of the team's championship winning streak.

“There are no words to describe the pain we are going through, but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we have with her,” the couple wrote in a joint post.

The day before the start of the World Series, which ran from October 24 to November 1, the Dodgers announced that Vecia would be absent while he dealt with a “deeply personal family matter.”

The Vesias were expecting the birth of their first child during the team's postseason run, Major League Baseball said in a post on its website.

The team has not shared any further news about Vecia's absence with the public, saying they want to give him the space he needs.

“We just didn't want to have any potential for any pressure. This is so much more than baseball,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said before the series. “For us, it was to do whatever little part we could to just be 100% supportive.”

By the third game of the series, the pitchers who replaced Vecia honored him by writing his jersey number, 51, on their caps. In a show of solidarity, Blue Jays pitchers began doing the same by the sixth game.

“For these guys, Alex's admission and what they had to go through with Kay is… heartbreaking – not even a good enough description,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, referring to Vecia and his wife Kayla. “But the fact that they admit it shows how much they respect and love each other.”

In an Instagram post, the Vesiases thanked the Dodgers for their understanding and support in their time of need. They also expressed their gratitude to the Blue Jays and all baseball fans, as well as the medical staff at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.

The couple did not share information about the cause of their daughter's death.

“Our little angel, we love you forever and you are always with us,” Vesias wrote.