Dodgers' Vesia away for personal reasons, WS status unclear

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia isn't with the team in Toronto due to a personal matter.

"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 said in a statement Thursday. "The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date."

Manager Dave Roberts said that Vesia's status for the World Series as a whole remains unclear.

"I think right now we're in the mode of trying to understand the process, the rules, a way that we could sort of try to navigate the roster," Roberts told reporters. "I think we have a little bit of time ... to finalize our roster. But yeah, we're going through the process of trying to backfill his spot on the roster."

Roberts added that the team is "going day-to-day with really no expectations (for Vesia's availability)."

The Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays must submit their 26-man World Series rosters by Friday at 10 a.m. ET. Mid-series roster changes can usually only be made in the event of an injury, following approval from the league. However, if Vesia were placed on the family medical emergency list, he'd be allowed to return later in the series, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.

Vesia, 29, has posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over seven postseason appearances. He hasn't allowed a run since Game 1 of the wild-card series while emerging as a key late-inning weapon as part of a bridge to closer Roki Sasaki.

Vesia was one of five left-handers in Los Angeles' bullpen during the NLCS. If he's not on the roster, rookie Jack Dreyer could see an increased role during the series in late innings against the Blue Jays' left-handed bats. Dreyer put up a 2.95 ERA with 74 strikeouts over 76 1/3 innings in the regular season but has made just two playoff appearances and didn't pitch in the NLCS.

The Dodgers rostered five left-handed relievers - Vesia, Dreyer, Anthony Banda, Justin Wrobleski, and Clayton Kershaw - during the NLCS. Roberts confirmed that Kershaw, who's in his final season, will be on the World Series roster.

Former All-Star left-hander Tanner Scott, who was removed from the team's NLDS roster after undergoing a medical procedure, is also eligible to return for the World Series. However, Scott's health status is still unclear.