When it comes to baseball equipment, Alex Vesia has always been a glove guy first.
It started in high school, when the San Diego native made a deal with his parents to save up money for a Rawlings Primo mitt: “It was expensive,” he joked. “But it was such a cool glove.”
The infatuation grew during his time in college, when the lightly-recruited left-hander became an unlikely draft prospect at Division II Cal State East Bay.
Now, seven years into a standout big-league career, Vesia’s personally customized glove designs have become an identifiable staple of his dominating mound presence.
“As a pitcher, we don’t get to wear too much swag,” he said. “I don’t get a wristband. I don’t get an arm guard. Cool bat and cleats or whatever.
“But the glove, we can do our personal touches on it. To make it meaningful to us.”
And this year, that meaning has never been so deep.
As the SportsNet LA broadcast highlighted during his season debut Friday night, Vesia included several sentimental features on the gloves he is using this season –– following the tragic death of his newborn baby daughter, Sterling Sol, last October.
Along his thumb, “Sterling Sol” is spelled out in white cursive letters. Inside the pink-accented mitts, her birth date is stitched beneath the palm of his hand.
It was a decision Vesia and his wife, Kayla, made together as he began the annual process of designing his Marucci-brand gloves this winter.
“Kay asked me one day, ‘Hey, are we gonna customize any gloves this year?’” Vesia told The California Post on Saturday. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, we’re definitely gonna do something.’ That definitely was a priority.”
Thus, before the start of spring training, they sat down and formed their vision using the manufacturer’s online customization program.
“It’s just –– it’s cool,” he said, glancing toward one glove in his locker. “It’s definitely very personal to me.”
Amid Vesia’s return to action this week –– in his first official outings since missing last year’s World Series in the wake of his daughter’s death –– the pitcher also received an outpouring of support from the Dodgers fan base, to which he repeatedly expressed gratitude throughout spring training.
He was roared when he was announced during Opening Day player introductions on Thursday. He was serenaded again when he emerged to collect his championship ring a day later.
Both times he entered a game, for scoreless appearances on Friday and Saturday, heartfelt ovations awaited his arrival.
And on each occasion, Vesia has tapped his chest, nodded his head and graciously waved back in deep appreciation.
“I’ve been feeling the love all week, man,” he said. “I feel that. I hear it.”
That doesn’t mean the emotions have been easy.
Every cheer also serves as a reminder of what Vesia has lost. Every reference to the team’s World Series triumph takes him back to his time of tragedy.
“I was talking to Blake Treinen about it earlier,” he said. “Like, this is such a special moment. But at the same time, for Kay and I, it’s not.”
Kayla herself echoed similar sentiments in an Instagram post on Thursday, writing that it was “a very bitter sweet opening day.”
Still, Vesia also noted how deeply the couple cherished the short time they had with their child.
“To know we got to share those memories with Sterling,” he said, “that is also very heart-warming.”
And now, he’ll have his new gloves –– all six in total, ranging in primary color from baby blue to mint green, and with Kayla’s initial also sewn in along his ring finger –– to help remember her by whenever he pitches.
“It’s definitely a cool piece,” he said. “Very meaningful to me.”
A lifelong fascination, now giving him one small way to heal.
