Alex Vesia Celebrates 30th Birthday with Save for Dodgers Against Rangers

In a thrilling showdown on Saturday night, Alex Vesia secured the final out for the Dodgers, striking out the potential tying run at the plate and earning his first save of the season against the Texas Rangers. This moment was especially significant for Vesia, who celebrated his 30th birthday on the same day, marking a personal milestone alongside his professional achievement.

Vesia has long been a reliable figure in manager Dave Roberts’ bullpen, now boasting a total of 15 career saves—14 in the regular season and one from Game 2 of the 2024 World Series. His birthday save got fans reminiscing about other Dodgers who have also recorded saves on their special days.

One of the first names that comes to mind is Kenley Jansen, the franchise’s all-time leader in games pitched and saves. Jansen, born on September 30, has two birthday saves to his name, including a memorable performance in 2017 when he saved a game on his 30th birthday. That season was a standout for Jansen, who finished with a 1.32 ERA and 109 strikeouts over 68⅓ innings, earning him a fifth-place finish in the National League Cy Young voting.

Exploring the Dodgers’ history of birthday saves reveals a select group of pitchers. The search began with the all-time saves list, but it quickly became apparent that many of the franchise’s closers were born during the offseason and thus never had the chance to achieve this unique feat. Thanks to the Stathead play index, we can pinpoint those who did, revealing a total of five Dodgers pitchers who have saved games on their birthdays.

Among them is the right-hander, Dave LaGrow, who played for several teams, including the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox before joining the Dodgers in May 1979. LaGrow notched four saves with Los Angeles, including one on his 31st birthday. On July 8, he was called upon to secure a win against the Montreal Expos, successfully inducing a ground ball from Gary Carter for the final out.

Then there’s Tom Niedenfuer, whose legacy is mixed in Dodgers lore. Despite being remembered for conceding game-winning home runs in key moments during the 1985 National League Championship Series, he is also a two-time member of the birthday save club. Niedenfuer saved games on both his 26th and 27th birthdays, showcasing his resilience in high-pressure situations.

His first birthday save came on August 13, 1985, when he entered a tight game against the Atlanta Braves, managing to secure the win with a crucial popout and strikeout. The following year, he again found himself in a pressure cooker against the Houston Astros, coming in with the tying runs on base and striking out Phil Garner to clinch another victory.

Lastly, there’s Caleb Ferguson, who debuted with the Dodgers in 2018. On his 22nd birthday, he was handed the ball during a blowout against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he impressively pitched three scoreless innings to earn a save, solidifying his place in this unique club of birthday performers.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.