Dodgers Place Alex Vesia on IL, Blake Snell Starts Friday

The Los Angeles Dodgers just lost one of their most dependable relievers for at least a couple of weeks. Alex Vesia landed on the injured list with a right oblique strain.

The move is both precautionary and strategic—they want him fresh for the postseason. Even though the bullpen’s gotten some key arms back lately, Vesia’s absence stings because he’s been lights-out all year.

Vesia’s Injury and Decision to Rest

Vesia started feeling tightness in his side while playing catch in San Diego over the weekend. Instead of trying to tough it out, the 28-year-old decided to deal with it now and avoid a bigger problem down the stretch.

That’s a smart move, honestly. The Dodgers want everyone healthy when October rolls around.

Quick Return in Sight

Vesia sounds pretty hopeful about coming back as soon as he’s eligible on September 7. He’s been here before—last year, a worse oblique strain knocked him out of the NLCS, but he made it back for the World Series.

He seems to have learned from that whole ordeal, and it’s shaping how he’s handling things now.

A Dominant Season on the Mound

Statistically, Vesia’s been outstanding this year. In 59 appearances, he’s posted a 2.75 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP over 52⅓ innings.

He’s struck out 69 and walked just 18. That strikeout-to-walk ratio really shows how he overpowers hitters and keeps things under control.

Honestly, those numbers put him up there with the best relievers in baseball right now.

High-Leverage Specialist

Manager Dave Roberts keeps turning to Vesia in high-pressure spots. He trusts him to handle tough matchups late in games.

Since Vesia’s tough on both lefties and righties, Roberts gets some flexibility with bullpen moves, especially when every run matters.

Dodgers Bullpen Getting Stronger Despite Setback

Even with Vesia out, the Dodgers’ bullpen actually looks stronger than it did a few weeks ago. Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott just came back from their own injuries, giving Roberts more late-game options.

Plus, hard-throwing righty Michael Kopech should rejoin the team soon. That’s another boost as the regular season winds down.

Balancing Health and Postseason Goals

Roberts made it clear: they want Vesia healthy first, then they’ll think about the playoff run. Oblique injuries are tricky—they can linger and come back if you rush.

It’s just not worth risking a repeat of last year’s issues when the team needs him most.

What Vesia’s Absence Means Moving Forward

Losing Vesia leaves a temporary hole in the Dodgers’ relief corps. With recent reinforcements, though, the team’s got some depth to cover for him.

Guys like Yates and Scott will probably take on more responsibility. Some middle relievers might find themselves pitching in bigger moments until Vesia’s back.

Key points to watch during Vesia’s IL stint:

• Impact on Late Innings: The Dodgers may need to shuffle their setup roles until he’s back.
• Opportunity for Others: Young relievers could see more meaningful innings.
• Managing Matchups: Roberts will need to be strategic without one of his most trusted left-handers.

Looking Toward the Postseason

The Dodgers have their eyes on another deep October run. Right now, they’re making careful roster moves to protect those chances down the line.

Vesia’s health matters a lot in this equation. If he recovers as expected, he should rejoin the bullpen in early September.

That timing gives him a shot to sharpen his stuff before the games that really count. In baseball, timing and health can flip everything upside down.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Dodgers place Vesia on IL; Snell to start Friday