Amid World Series, Blue Jays relievers join Dodgers in wearing tribute to absent LA pitcher Vesia

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TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have joined their counterparts on the Los Angeles Dodgers in paying tribute to Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia during the World Series.

Vesia is away from the team because of a “deeply personal family matter,” the Dodgers said in a statement posted on social media before Game 1. Pitchers on the Dodgers have been playing with Vesia's No. 51 on the side of their caps.

In a show of solidarity, Blue Jays relievers have started doing the same thing. Toronto’s Chris Bassitt, Seranthony Domínguez, Mason Fluharty and Louis Varland all had the No. 51 written on the side of their caps in Friday’s Game 6, a 3-1 Dodgers win that forced Game 7.

Vesia, 29, has been a dependable bullpen arm for the defending champions. The left-hander went 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 68 regular-season games. He was 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in seven postseason appearances.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was touched to see the Blue Jays recognize an opponent amid the heightened competition of the World Series.

“It’s everything,” Roberts said before Saturday’s Game 7 in Toronto. “I didn’t learn that until after the game last night. I think it really speaks to the brotherhood of athletes. ... It just speaks to how much respect and love they have for one another. It’s a huge, huge tribute to Alex.”

Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernández was staring at the stadium big screen as he walked back to the dugout after striking out in the ninth inning Friday when he noticed the number written on Bassitt’s cap.

“I was looking up at the board to see the replay, and that’s when I saw that he had 51,” Hernández said Saturday. “Instead of being mad that I struck out, I was kind of going back to the dugout thinking ‘Did Bassitt play with Vesia at some point?’ And then after the game I saw that everybody had them. For those guys to do that, it’s incredible. They’re trying to win a World Series, but they understand that life is bigger than baseball, and baseball’s just a game."

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the tribute to Vesia showed the quality of character among the players in his team’s clubhouse

“We have a lot of good people, a lot of good humans in there that are husbands and fathers and all that kind of stuff, that just appreciate what we all do and the hardships that come with it,” Schneider said.

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