Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Key Dodgers reliever likely to be left off NLCS roster due to injury

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated 10/12/24

The Los Angeles Dodgers will likely be without one of their pitchers heading into their NLCS series against the New York Mets.

Speaking with reporters on Saturday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed that reliever Alex Vesia is “highly unlikely” to be on the team’s roster for the NLCS. Roberts added that Vesia is dealing with an intercostal injury, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Indeed, Vesia was forced to exit Friday’s NLDS-clinching win over the San Diego Padres due to an injury. Vesia entered in the seventh to get the final out of the inning and tried to come back out for the eighth but felt something during warmups and had to leave the game.

Alex Vesia exited the game with an apparent injury during warmups pic.twitter.com/z3woY4WwMA

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 12, 2024

The Dodgers should have enough bullpen arms to survive a Vesia absence in the NLCS. But that one still hurts since the lefty Vesia is their best option in relief against left-handed hitters. Vesia posted a 1.76 ERA with 11.8 K/9 during the regular season and held lefties to a .144 batting average.

Anthony Banda may be the Dodgers’ go-to lefty choice from here in what is a very righty-heavy bullpen. At this point, this may be a war of attrition for the Dodgers since another impact reliever landed on IL a couple weeks ago too.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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