The Yankees’ first deadline move of 2026 didn’t bring in help - it sent Camilo Doval out the door.
New York dealt the former All-Star closer to the Pittsburgh Pirates for two minor-league prospects, catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz, in a move that immediately sharpened the market for relievers around the league. Doval, who has been far from his best this season, has appeared in 44 games and carries a 4.54 ERA and 4.61 FIP. His 21.9% strikeout rate is a career low.
In return, Pittsburgh sent back a pair of young players with some real intrigue. Alfonzo was ranked among the top-20 prospects in the Pirates’ system by MLB Pipeline, while Cruz is a teenage outfielder who hit .313/.460/.396 for Pittsburgh’s Dominican Summer League affiliate.
The Yankees are trading RHP Camilo Doval and cash considerations to the Pirates for prospects C Omar Alfonzo and OF Luis Cruz, per source. @JeffPassan was on it.
- Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 1, 2026
For the Reds, that trade matters. Cincinnati is expected to shop at least three bullpen arms, and the Doval return gives them a clear benchmark. Pierce Johnson, Caleb Ferguson and Brock Burke all look like candidates to move before Monday’s deadline, and the market just got a lot more interesting.
Johnson’s season has been rocky, much like Doval’s. He missed time on the injured list and has thrown 32⅔ innings with a 4.96 ERA and 4.90 FIP. His strikeout rate and salary line up closely with Doval’s, which opens the door for Cincinnati to chase a top-20 organizational prospect if it chooses to move him.
Ferguson and Burke have been better options this year, and both bring the kind of left-handed look that tends to play well in late July and early August. Ferguson was sidelined for much of a month with an oblique injury, but he still has a 4.18 ERA in 25 appearances. Burke has been Terry Francona’s most trusted reliever for most of the season and owns a 2.56 ERA in just under 53 innings.
The Reds still haven’t made a move, even with seven players on expiring contracts and the deadline closing in. Their playoff odds have slipped, which points toward selling, but a recent run of series wins has seemingly lifted the mood in the clubhouse.
Even so, the message from the market is hard to miss. If a reliever like Doval can bring back a top-20 organizational prospect, Cincinnati should be pushing hard to maximize its return. Nick Krall and the Reds’ leadership need to get aggressive before Monday passes.
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