The Los Angeles Dodgers' relief corps took another punch this week when left-hander Alex Vesia landed on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain. It happened right before their 6-3 victory over the Reds on Tuesday, a game that felt like a small mercy amid the mounting injuries. Vesia, who's been a steady force out of the pen this season, first felt the tightness while playing catch in San Diego over the weekend. Manager Dave Roberts didn't mince words, calling it an intercostal issue on the side and saying it's highly unlikely Vesia sees action in the NLCS if the Dodgers advance.
Indeed, this comes at a brutal time. The Dodgers, already navigating a rash of pitching woes, were just starting to patch things up. Vesia, 29, has been invaluable since joining the team in 2021 after a stint with the Marlins. His 3.70 ERA over 58 appearances this year underscores his reliability, striking out 70 batters in 51 innings while holding lefties to a measly .198 average. But oblique strains like this one? They're sneaky, often lingering longer than expected, and Roberts knows it all too well from past seasons.
Moreover, Vesia's absence exposes the thin margins in the Dodgers' late-inning strategy. They've leaned on him for high-leverage spots, especially against left-handed threats. Now, with the postseason looming—October 2 already feels like crunch time—the bullpen reshuffles again. Young arms like Landon Knack get called up, but can they fill the void? It's a question that's dogged this squad all year, from the early slumps to the recent surge.
However, the Dodgers' depth has been their saving grace before. Vesia, a California native who rose from Cal State East Bay to the majors, embodies that gritty underdog spirit. His journey—from undrafted in 2014 to a key playoff piece—mirrors the team's own resilience. Still, as the NLDS approaches, this injury lingers like an unanswered pitch, forcing everyone to wonder just how far a depleted roster can go.
In the end, baseball's unpredictability reminds us that even the strongest arms need a bit of luck to stay in the game.