On Thursday, the San Francisco Giants dropped a bombshell, bringing back a familiar face to their bullpen: right-hander Camilo Doval. This move saw him take the active roster spot of fellow righty Blake Tidwell, who got transferred to the 60-day injured list. It’s a reunion nobody probably saw coming just a few months ago, especially after how things went down for Doval this year.
From NL Saves Leader to Gone in a Flash
Giants fans know Camilo Doval. The flamethrower spent parts of his first five career seasons rocking the orange and black before a midseason trade shipped him to the New York Yankees last year. And let’s be real, his 2023 season was lights out. He led the National League with a ridiculous 39 saves, posting a stellar 2.93 ERA with 87 strikeouts across 67.2 innings pitched. The guy was an All-Star, absolutely dominant. But man, has his effectiveness become less and less since then. The Yankees, after seeing his performance dip, pulled him from their high-leverage roles earlier this year, then traded him at the deadline to the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was a rapid descent for a guy who was once at the top of his game.
The Pirate Problem and One Last Shot
So, what happened in Pittsburgh? Doval, now 29, actually put up a respectable 3.79 ERA in 20 appearances for the Pirates. That sounds okay, right? But here’s the kicker: he walked nearly 16% of the batters he faced in Pittsburgh. That’s a huge problem. You can’t be giving away free passes like that, not at this level, not as a former All-Star. For the Giants, though, there’s no harm in bringing Doval back into the bullpen mix. We’re talking the final few days of the regular season here, so the stakes are pretty clear.
This is a real opportunity for Doval to show if he can reign in that walk rate and find some of that 2023 magic again. If San Francisco’s front office likes what they see from the right-hander in this super short window, they can tender him a contract for the 2027 season. Can he fix what’s been broken, or is that nearly 16% walk rate a sign of a new, frustrating reality? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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