sports

Vesia Returns to Mound After Daughter's Passing

Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia returned to the mound Monday, making his first appearance since stepping away during the NLCS following the death of his newborn daughter.

Vesia, who left the team in the middle of their playoff run for a second-straight title, revealed he and his wife Kayla lost their daughter Sterling Sole during the postseason. The Dodgers respected the family's privacy by not announcing the news publicly.

The left-handed reliever returned to spring training on schedule, receiving therapy and support to prepare himself mentally and physically. In his first appearance Monday, Vesia pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout, expressing his desire to 'be myself out there' and embrace the support from his teammates.