Under the bright lights of the World Series, where the emotions of a continent ebb and flow with every pitch, it’s easy to get lost under the weight of it and forget the fact that baseball is a game, and every player on the field is a human being.
However, for the 52 players on the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers roster, they haven’t forgotten that fact and they’ve let their humanity shine through by writing a small number in white ink on their hats, that has carried with it a power that no home run, strikeout, or double play could measure.
The No. 51.
You might have seen it on the sides of hats, both on Dodgers blue and Blue Jays navy during the 2025 World Series. It’s a number that spoke louder than any cheer could drown out. It was a tribute to a Dodgers reliever, Alex Vesia, who was forced to step away from the team just hours before the Fall Classic began, as he and his wife Kayla faced a deeply personal family matter.
I think it really speaks tot he brotherhood of athletes, of MLB players,” said Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts. “For these guys to recognize Alex and what he and Kayla have gone through, heartbreaking is not even a good enough descriptor.”
The news broke with heartbreak and grace.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Alex Vesia is away from the team as he and his wife Kayla navigate a deeply personal family matter,” the Dodgers posted. “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family.”
Vesia, one of the Dodgers’ most trusted arms throughout 2025, and his wife Kayla, had announced in April they were expecting a baby girl. They celebrated at Dodger Stadium after the Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers to advance to the World Series.
After the news broke, Vesia would not be on the World Series roster, nor would he be placed on emergency family leave, allowing him to return after three days. Andrew Friedman, the club’s president of baseball operations, made sure of that.
“This is so much bigger than baseball,” Friedman said. “We just didn’t want any pressure. Our focus is on being there for Alex in whatever way we can.”
Inside the bullpen — the place where Vesia made his living, where innings stretch long and friendships grow stronger — his absence was felt like a missing heartbeat. Teammates wrote his number on their caps. They carried his name with them through every warm-up toss, every ninth-inning prayer.
“We could really use him here, but at the end of the day, we’re a family. So we’re going to help support him however we can,” said Vesia’s teammate Jack Dreyer.
But what happened across the diamond in Game 6 made the gesture even more powerful.
When television cameras panned toward the Toronto bullpen, fans noticed something unexpected — the Blue Jays relievers had 51 scrawled on their caps too. No announcement, no press release. Just quiet respect.
“For them to acknowledge that, it just speaks to how much respect and love they have for one another. It’s a huge, huge tribute to Alex,” said Roberts of the Blue Jays’ bullpen honoring Vesia.
A rivalry paused. Humanity prevailed on the game’s biggest stage.
“They’re [The Blue Jays] trying to win a World Series, but they understand that life is bigger than baseball, and that baseball is just a game,” said Dodgers’ utility player Kiké Hernández. “For them to do that with the stakes, my hat’s off to them, and I want them to know that we appreciate them. Regardless of what happens tonight [in Game 7], we appreciate what they did.”
Allison Craig is a passionate sports writer and analyst with a deep love for game strategies, player performances, and the latest trends in the sports world. With years of experience covering football, basketball, tennis, and more, she delivers insightful analysis and engaging content for sports enthusiasts.
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