Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia's wife, Kayla Vesia, posted baby updates on her Instagram page in the days, weeks, and months before the team's mysterious announcement about the Vesia family.
Now it's a mystery no more, but it's a heartbreaking update.
Alex and Kayla Vesia revealed on November 7 that they lost their baby daughter, Sterling Sol Vesia.
"Our little angel we love you forever & you’re with us always," they wrote in a joint statement that included a photo of them holding their baby daughter's hand.
"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," they wrote.
"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."
Before the tragic development, Kayla appeared excited on Instagram for the World Series, which made Alex's absence from the game all the more concerning for fans. In fact, many of her posts recently referenced her pregnancy, so fans followed along with the couple's baby journey.
“It is 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 wrote in a statement before the couple's update revealed the infant's death. “The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date.”
The nature of the deeply personal family matter was initially not revealed. For months, Kayla had posted positive and happy photos and updates on Instagram.
On October 2, Kayla posted a photo on Instagram showing her pregnancy.
She posted a photo on August 30 showing her pregnant on a beach and wrote, "Oh babygirl, how you’re the sun to me! Being your home has been my favorite chapter yet ♥️." On July 23, she wrote, "Dodger babies are def in bloom…"
In mid-July, Alex posted a photo showing him with his pregnant wife and wrote, "Baby bump + Date night = amazing evening with my wife!❤️" In June, Kayla posted a photo of her baby shower, revealing that the baby was a girl.
"Baby Vesia coming soon, we are beyond excited for this next chapter! 🐣🍼🤍" she wrote in April with a photo showing her kissing her husband.
The Dodgers’ statement quickly sparked concern online, with fans expressing support for the couple and confusion over the vague wording.
Relief pitchers for the opposing team, the Toronto Blue Jays, even wore Alex's number, 51, on their hats, drawing widespread praise for the gesture. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised the Blue Jays, adding, "For these guys to recognize Alex, and what he and Kayla have gone through, heartbreaking is not even a good enough descriptor.”
The Vesias wrote on November 7: "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."