Dodgers' Paul Gervase Narrowly Avoids Line Drive to His Face

"He was like, 'You're going to the Dodgers.' I was like, alright, sounds good. I was excited. Like you said, they're the best team in the world, so I was excited to come here and do what I could to help this team win."

"In a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies, the 6-foot-10 Gervase had a 93 mph pitch driven directly back at his face by Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy. McCarthy's line drive knocked Gervase's hat off and knocked the pitcher to the ground, though he quickly assured catcher Dalton Rushing that he was OK, flashing a thumbs up from the grass just off the mound."

"In his Minor League career, though, he has 252 strikeouts across 154 innings. Baseball Reference predicts Gervase will play a bigger role this season, expecting him to notch a 4.03 ERA over 29 innings of work."

Paul Gervase, standing 6-foot-10, is the tallest pitcher in Los Angeles Dodgers history. During a spring training game against Colorado, a 93 mph line drive from Jake McCarthy struck Gervase in the face, knocking him down and removing his hat. He quickly signaled he was fine. Gervase was traded to the Dodgers from Tampa Bay on July 31, 2025, learning about the trade while on the team bus from Yankee Stadium. He expressed enthusiasm about joining the Dodgers during their pursuit of a historic three-peat championship. Last season, Gervase made limited appearances for both teams. Baseball Reference projects he will have a larger role in 2026, with an expected 4.03 ERA over 29 innings and 28 strikeouts.

Read at Dodgers Nation