Dodgers Option RHP Paul Gervase to Triple-A Oklahoma City for 2026

Paul Gervase put together one of the cleaner spring training auditions in the Dodgers' camp, a 2.89 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and an 11:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 9.1 innings. It wasn't enough. Los Angeles optioned the 6-foot-10 right-hander to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, confirming he'll open the 2026 season in the bullpen at OKC rather than on the Opening Day roster.

The Dodgers' official announcement on X listed the full scope of the spring cuts: in addition to Gervase, outfielder Michael Siani was optioned, while pitchers Cole Irvin and Ryder Ryan, infielder Noah Miller, and outfielders Zach Ehrhard, Zyhir Hope, and James Tibbs III were all reassigned to minor league camp.

For Gervase, the move reflects the realities of roster construction more than any performance shortcoming. As DodgerBlue noted during his August 2025 callup cycle, the Dodgers view him as a legitimate future piece of their bullpen but acknowledged "it's a numbers game, and he is one of the few pitchers with Minor League options remaining." That dynamic has carried into 2026 spring decisions.

The 25-year-old has accumulated 268 strikeouts in 173 career minor league innings, with a 3.17 ERA and 96 walks, per FantasyPros. That walk total is the primary developmental concern: Gervase will use his time in Oklahoma City to sharpen a command profile that has at times lagged behind his strikeout production. His spring ratios suggested progress on that front, however, with just one walk issued across 9.1 frames.

Gervase came to the Dodgers' organization at the July 31, 2025 trade deadline in a three-team deal involving the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds. He made his MLB debut last season, combining for a 4.32 ERA in 8.1 innings split between Tampa Bay and Los Angeles. His Dodgers debut came in an August 2025 relief appearance against the Colorado Rockies, where he allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts across two innings in an 8-3 loss, before being optioned the following day in a roster swap for Matt Sauer.

Drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of LSU, Gervase has moved quickly through the minor league system. His 2025 minor league season showed a 2.94 ERA with 72 strikeouts against just 13 walks in 49 innings across 33 games, and his work specifically with Oklahoma City last year produced a 2.08 ERA over 8 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and one walk in five appearances.

His spring ERA and strikeout efficiency suggest the Dodgers won't wait long to find out whether a roster spot opens up for him in Los Angeles before the 2026 season is far along.