Alex Vesia is one step closer to rejoining the Dodgers bullpen. On Wednesday, the left-hander began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, tossing a clean inning of relief. Vesia faced three batters, retired them in order, and struck out one, an encouraging sign as he works back from injury.
Vesia has been sidelined for the past two weeks with a right oblique strain. While the injury can be tricky for pitchers, he showed no signs of rust in his first outing. Vesia would throw 19 pitches in his lone inning of work, with 11 thrown for strikes. The Dodgers plan for him to make at least one more rehab appearance before returning. If all goes smoothly, he could be activated from the 15-day injured list as soon as Sunday, the first day he is eligible.
His return would come at a critical moment for the Dodgers. Currently, they are coming off a disappointing series loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and their bullpen has been inconsistent since the loss of Vesia. Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates have both struggled immensely this season, making Vesia’s presence all the more valuable.
Since joining the Dodgers, Vesia has developed into one of the team’s most trusted arms. He is building on a breakout 2024 campaign in which he posted a career-best 1.76 ERA over 66 innings, playing a significant role in the Dodgers’ first World Series title since 2020. While his numbers this year haven’t matched that dominance, they still reflect his importance to the relief corps.
In 52 innings this season, Vesia owns a 2.75 ERA with a WHIP just under 1.00. His reliability has also been reflected in usage; he has appeared in 59 games, the second-most on the team behind Anthony Banda, who has 63. For a bullpen that has seen its share of ups and downs, his consistency has been a stabilizing factor.
As the regular season winds down, the Dodgers find themselves in a tight National League West race with the San Diego Padres. Los Angeles currently holds a 2.5-game lead, but every win matters with the division still very much up for grabs. Adding Vesia back into the mix could provide the late-inning boost the team needs to separate itself from its rival down the stretch.
If his rehab continues on track, Vesia’s return could give the Dodgers’ bullpen the reinforcements they need at precisely the right time.