The Dodgers made a set of roster moves Wednesday that brought Kris Bubic back to the active roster, sent Paul Gervase down, and cleared space by designating Ryan Ward for assignment.
Bubic is back with Los Angeles for the first time since the club acquired him from the Kansas City Royals before the MLB trade deadline, sending Minor League pitcher Carlos Duran the other way. He was still on the injured list when that deal went through, and his year has been interrupted by left elbow and shoulder soreness. He had started to build momentum in June before a setback led to a cortisone shot.
Now healthy enough to return, Bubic is set to work out of the bullpen for the Dodgers. That’s a different role from the one he filled as an All-Star starting pitcher in 2025, when he logged 116.1 innings and put up a 2.55 ERA.
This season, he’s been limited to nine starts, finishing with a 4.11 ERA and 3.72 FIP over 50.1 innings. He struck out 9.12 batters per nine innings and walked 4.65.
The left-hander also has recent relief experience. In 2024, he pitched out of the bullpen in 27 games and posted a 2.67 ERA and 1.95 FIP across 30.1 innings, with 11.57 strikeouts per nine and just 1.48 walks per nine.
During his rehab stint for Los Angeles, he threw 5.2 scoreless innings, allowed two hits and struck out nine across six appearances. In seven MLB seasons, Bubic has a 22-38 record with a 4.14 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 522 innings.
Gervase was the odd man out after being recalled Monday, though he never got into a game. That made it his fifth time on the Dodgers’ roster.
The 26-year-old has appeared in four games for Los Angeles this season, covering 7.2 innings with a 2.35 ERA and eight strikeouts. Across 38 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, he’s 3-1 with a 4.56 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 47.1 innings.
For his career, he has pitched in 10 Major League games and owns a 3.38 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 16.0 innings.
Ward’s time in the organization came to an end, at least for now, after seven seasons. The left-handed hitter made his big-league debut earlier this year and appeared in 20 games for the Dodgers, batting .218/.283/.455 with three homers, 12 RBI and eight runs scored.
At Triple-A Oklahoma City, he hit .248/.349/.429 with 18 home runs, 82 RBI and 71 runs scored. He was the Pacific Coast League MVP in 2025 after posting a .290/.380/.557 line with 36 home runs, 122 RBI and 113 runs scored, but that production has not carried over to the majors.
He also found himself behind Josue De Paula on the Dodgers’ depth chart, with Teoscar Hernandez, Kyle Tucker, Alex Call and Kiké Hernández giving the club more corner-outfield options.
It would be somewhat surprising if Ward is not claimed off waivers by another organization that wants to give him a chance in a more significant MLB role.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Made A Bullpen Move That Could Sting Fans Too
The Dodgers got another piece back in the bullpen mix by activating left-hander Kris Bubic off the 60-day injured list and adding him to both the 28- and 40-man rosters. Bubic, who came over from the Royals at the trade deadline, is expected to give Los Angeles a left-handed relief option as it continues sorting through the back end of its staff.
To clear space, right-hander Paul Gervase was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City and outfielder Ryan Ward was designated for assignment. The roster shuffle fits the kind of August management the Dodgers have leaned on all year, but the move also comes with the usual cost of squeezing out a depth piece to make room for a pitcher the club clearly wants available now. [Read more 🡒]
Shohei Ohtani Return Buzz Just Got Very Real For Dodgers Fans
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Amid the current momentum, the bigger buzz for Dodgers fans is Shohei Ohtani, who is still working back from injuries but has recently taken batting practice. The team remains optimistic he could return before the end of the regular season, which would add another layer to a lineup already getting key production at the right time, even as everyone waits to see just how soon that final piece can fall into place. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have A Real Josue De Paula Dilemma
Josue De Paula keeps giving the Dodgers another reason to think hard about the future. The top prospect homered against the Miami Marlins, a reminder that the 19-year-old has the kind of power and plate discipline that has drawn comparisons inside the organization to past Dodgers rookie-of-the-year types, including Mike Piazza. For a club that always seems to be balancing present contention with the next wave, De Paulas rise is becoming harder to ignore.
The timing, though, is what makes this interesting. Los Angeles also has to figure out where he fits once Shohei Ohtani comes off the injured list, and that sort of roster puzzle tends to say as much about a prospect as any scouting report does. De Paula is forcing the issue now, and the Dodgers may soon have to decide whether his bat is ready for a bigger stage or whether his path has to wait behind an even larger return. [Read more 🡒]