LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia and his wife, Kayla, shared in an Instagram post on Friday that their newborn daughter, Sterling, died on Oct. 26.
"Our little angel we love you forever & you’re with us always," the Vesias wrote in the post. "Our beautiful daughter went to heaven Sunday October 26th. There are no words to describe the pain we’re going through but we hold her in our hearts and cherish every second we had with her.
"Thank you to the Dodgers for their understanding and support during this time. Our baseball family showed up for us and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them."
The Vesias were expecting their first child during the Dodgers' postseason run. On Oct. 23, one day before the World Series began in Toronto, the team announced that the lefty reliever would be away from the club to navigate a "deeply personal family matter."
The Dodgers shared no further updates, allowing the Vesias to process the death of their daughter on their own time. There was no expectation that Alex Vesia would return amid what his family was going through, and he was away for the rest of the team's run to a second straight championship.
"We just didn't want to have any potential for any kind of pressure. This is so much bigger than baseball," president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said before the Series. "For us, it was doing whatever small part we could to just 100% be supportive."
Vesia was on his teammates' minds during the World Series, and Dodgers relievers honored him by writing his No. 51 on their caps from Game 3 on. Blue Jays relievers did the same starting in Game 6, a show of solidarity between the opposing bullpens.
"I think it really speaks to the brotherhood of athletes, Major League Baseball players, that they'll all say that baseball is what we do, but it's not who we are," manager Dave Roberts said. "For these guys to recognize Alex and what he and Kay have gone through, it's -- heartbreaking is not even a good enough descriptor. But for them to acknowledge that, it just speaks to how much respect and love they have for one another."
The Vesias expressed their gratitude for the support they've received from the baseball world, as well as the medical professionals who worked with them, as they mourn Sterling's passing.
"Thank you Dodger Nation, Blue Jays organization and all baseball fans for your love and support," the Vesias wrote on Instagram. "We have seen ALL your messages, comments and posts. It’s brought us so much comfort.
"Lastly, we’d like to thank Cedars Sinai and all the medical staff who helped Kayla and Sterling. Every person we came across was truly so incredible."