Camilo Doval’s first inning in a Pirates uniform looked a lot like the version Yankees fans got used to.
The 29-year-old made his Pittsburgh debut on Aug. 2, and the assignment was a rough one from the start. The Pirates, who traded for him to be a high-leverage arm, were getting hammered by the Cincinnati Reds and called on Doval in the eighth inning while trailing 9-2.
He opened by getting JJ Bleday to fly out, but the next batter, potential future Yankees catcher Tyler Stephenson, turned on a pitch and drove it over the right field wall for a home run. Doval settled down after that, striking out Nathaniel Lowe and getting Dane Myers to fly out to finish the inning, but the damage was already done.
For Yankees fans, that line looked painfully familiar.
Doval spent a year in New York as the sort of pitcher who kept flashing the goods without delivering consistent results. The trade to Pittsburgh also reopened some old frustration, especially with some of the prospects the Yankees gave up - including third baseman Parks Harber - now looking like they may have real upside.
Still, the bigger point is that the Yankees may not wind up missing Doval all that much. A glance at his Baseball Savant page shows the kind of red-hot profile that usually screams impact arm, but the results never matched the raw stuff.
The issue has never been talent. It has been execution.
That’s why the fit in New York never quite worked. Once a mechanical or mental problem starts to creep in, it can be hard to shake, and Doval’s case has started to feel like one of those situations. The article compared it to Chuck Knoblauch suddenly losing the ability to throw accurately to first base.
Even though some trade grades have called this an even deal, the Yankees appear to view it as addition by subtraction. The prospects they received, catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz, are a bonus on top of moving on from Doval.
Alfonzo gives the system some needed catching depth after the Yankees sent away three catching prospects, including Rafael Flores Jr. and Edgleen Perez, in the deal for David Bednar. He also brings some pop behind the plate. Cruz, who is 18, is more of a lottery ticket, but his DSL numbers are better than Wilberson De Pena’s were at this point last year, and De Pena has since become something worth watching.
The Yankees are wishing Doval well, and if he figures things out in Pittsburgh, that will be fine. But the early signs suggest the Pirates may be getting the same frustrating version New York already knew.
In Other News...
Yankees Deadline Push Now Hinges On One Catching Upgrade
The Yankees are still trying to make one more meaningful move before the deadline, and the most interesting part of their search has centered on catcher. They want a right-handed bat behind the plate, a sensible fit for a roster that is already being pushed toward added bullpen help and another right-handed hitter elsewhere, and they have not been shy about working the market with that kind of urgency.
Tyler Stephenson, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Jeffers have all come up as possible answers, which shows how broad the search has become and how competitive the market is likely to be. For a club intent on upgrading in more than one spot, the catching pursuit may end up shaping how the rest of the deadline unfolds, especially if the front office has to decide how far it wants to go to land the right fit. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have A Trade Answer For Their Injury Hit Lineup
The Yankees lineup has been strained by the injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, and the front office has been doing what it can to survey a thin trade market for help. Catchers and infielders are scarce in particular, which makes the search more difficult and pushes the conversation toward whatever productive bats might actually become available before the deadline.
One name worth watching is Randy Arozarena, a player the Yankees know well enough to appreciate as a possible fit in a lineup looking for more punch. The Seattle outfielder has put together strong offensive numbers this season, and his situation could make him one of the more interesting names to track if New York decides it needs to act on the market rather than wait for reinforcements from within. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Just Got A Yankees Trade Twist To Process
The Yankees are adding another wrinkle to their infield and batting-order picture, with ESPNs Jeff Passan reporting they are reportedly trading for Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. It is the kind of move that immediately invites lineup speculation because Garcia gives New York another capable left-handed bat, and any extra offense around the middle of the order tends to matter in October-minded planning.
But the fit is not as simple as just slotting in one more name and moving on. Garcias arrival adds depth, yet it also brings a real juggling act for the Yankees as they try to sort out playing time and keep the lineup balanced without creating unnecessary friction on the bench. The upside is obvious, but the next question is how New York makes all of the pieces work once everyone is actually in the mix. [Read more 🡒]