Alex Vesia pitched his 300th game with Dodgers

Alex Vesia pitched in one of the highest-leverage moments of the young season for the Dodgers on Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh inning to protect a two-run lead.

Vesia inherited runners at the corners after Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed a double and single to open the frame, the first Dodgers starting pitcher to last into the seventh inning this season. Vesia walked his first batter to load the bases, but then sandwiched two flyouts around a strikeout to get out unscathed.

Tuesday was also notable because it was Vesia’s 300th game with the Dodgers, a number reached by only 25 pitchers in franchise history. A fitting number, considering Vesia walked off the mound with the energy of Leonidas.

When the Dodgers acquired Vesia in February 2021 — from the Miami Marlins along with Kyle Hurt for reliever Dylan Floro — the left-hander was entering his age-25 season, and to that point had pitched five games in the majors, all with the Marlins in 2020.

He’s been a fixture in the Dodgers bullpen for the last half-decade, with a 2.62 ERA and 3.01 xERA, and 32.6-percent strikeout rate, and also has a 1.86 ERA and 3.76 xERA in 26 postseason games, including a save in Game 2 of the 2024 World Series.

Since joining the Dodgers, he ranks 21st in the majors in games pitched, including sixth-most among left-handed pitchers.

Only one of Vesia’s Dodgers games was a start. He served as the opener on July 8, 2023 against the Angels, and pitched a scoreless first inning. But when he pitches next in relief, Vesia will join an even more exclusive club. Currently only nine Dodgers have pitched 300 times in relief.

Most relief appearances, Dodgers history

1. Kenley Jansen, 519 games
2. Ron Perranoski, 456 games
3. Jim Brewer, 456 games
4. Clem Labine, 388 games
5. Jonathan Broxton, 386 games
6. Charlie Hough, 385 games
7. Pedro Báez, 355 games
8. Ed Roebuck, 321 games
9. Tom Niedenfuer, 310 games
10. Alex Vesia, 299 games