Paul Gervase becomes LSU’s 19th World Series Champion

BATON ROUGE, La. – Pitcher Paul Gervase of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the 19th former LSU Tiger to claim a World Series ring Saturday night when the Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 5-4, in 11 innings to win the 2025 Fall Classic at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

The Dodgers’ title marks the fourth straight season a former LSU player has been part of a World Series Championship team:  infielder Alex Bregman (Houston Astros, 2022), infielder Josh Smith (Texas Rangers, 2023), catcher Hunter Feduccia (Los Angeles Dodgers, 2024) and Gervase this season.

Nineteen former LSU Tigers have played for, managed, or coached World Series championship teams on 24 occasions, beginning with infielder Alvin Dark of the New York Giants in 1954.

Since 1990, a total of 45 former Tigers have been a part of MLB playoff teams, and 16 former LSU players have been members of World Series Championship teams in that span (1990-2025).

Gervase, who made his MLB debut in June with the Tampa Bay Rays, was traded to the Dodgers on July 31. He made his first appearance with Los Angeles on August 20 against the Colorado Rockies, working 2.0 innings.

Prior to joining the Dodgers, Gervase, a right-hander from Fuquay-Varina, N.C., pitched 6.1 innings in five appearances this season for Tampa Bay, recording six strikeouts.

Gervase pitched at LSU in 2022 – coach Jay Johnson’s first season with the Tigers – and he was selected in the 12th round of the MLB Draft by the New York Mets.

He worked primarily as LSU’s closer in 2022, making 29 appearances and recording a 4-1 mark and a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings with 15 walks, 52 strikeouts and six saves. He finished No. 7 in the SEC in appearances and No. 8 in the league in saves.

Gervase earned a save and a win in the 2022 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional, posting a 0.00 ERA in 5.0 innings with three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.

He picked up the save in first-round regional win over Kennesaw State, firing a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout. Gervase secured the win in the second-round regional game vs. Southern Miss, working a scoreless top of the 10th inning with one strikeout before LSU claimed the victory in the bottom of the frame.

Gervase is the fourth LSU Major Leaguer coached by Johnson during his four seasons at the helm of the Tigers’ program. The others are right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, outfielder Dylan Crews of the Washington Nationals and right-handed pitcher Grant Taylor of the Chicago White Sox.

Following is the list of the former LSU players who became World Series champions:

MLB World Series Champions from LSU

•            INF Alvin Dark, New York Giants – 1954 (Player); Oakland Athletics – 1974 (Manager)

•            1B Joe Bill Adcock, Milwaukee Braves – 1957

•            Third-Base Coach Connie Ryan, Milwaukee Braves – 1957

•            LHP Mark Guthrie, Minnesota Twins – 1991

•            LHP Eddie Yarnall, New York Yankees – 1999 and 2000

•            LHP Randy Keisler, New York Yankees – 2000

•            RHP Russ Springer, Arizona Diamondbacks – 2001

•            RHP Curtis Leskanic,  Boston Red Sox – 2004

•            RHP Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants – 2010 and 2012

•            INF Mike Fontenot, San Francisco Giants – 2010

•            LHP Brian Tallet, St. Louis Cardinals – 2011

•            INF Ryan Theriot, St. Louis Cardinals – 2011; San Francisco Giants – 2012

•            RHP Louis Coleman, Kansas City Royals – 2015

•            3B Alex Bregman, Houston Astros – 2017 and 2022

•            RHP Will Harris, Houston Astros – 2017

•            OF Andrew Stevenson, Washington Nationals – 2019

•            INF Josh Smith, Texas Rangers – 2023

•            C Hunter Feduccia, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2024

•            RHP Paul Gervase, Los Angeles Dodgers – 2025

While at LSU

Gervase pitched at LSU in 2022 – coach Jay Johnson’s first season with the Tigers – and he was selected in the 12th round of the MLB Draft by the New York Mets.

He worked primarily as LSU’s closer, making 29 appearances and recording a 4-1 mark and a 1.85 ERA in 39 innings with 15 walks, 52 strikeouts and six saves. He finished No. 7 in the SEC in appearances and No. 8 in the league in saves.

Gervase earned a save and a win in the 2022 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional, posting a 0.00 ERA in 5.0 innings with three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.

He picked up the save in first-round regional win over Kennesaw State, firing a scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout. Gervase secured the win in the second-round regional game vs. Southern Miss, working a scoreless top of the 10th inning with one strikeout before LSU claimed the victory in the bottom of the frame.