The Giants are bringing back a familiar arm, claiming right-hander Camilo Doval off waivers from the Pirates after Pittsburgh designated him for assignment earlier this week.
To make room on the 40-man roster, San Francisco moved right-hander Blade Tidwell to the 60-day injured list. Tidwell was recommended for UCL surgery this week, which effectively ends his 2025 season and likely rules him out for most, if not all, of next year too.
Doval’s return gives the Giants a reunion with a pitcher who was once one of the key pieces at the back of their bullpen. He was the club’s closer not long ago, but control issues pushed him onto the trade market.
San Francisco sent him to the Yankees at last year’s deadline, landing Jesús Rodríguez, Trystan Vrieling, Parks Harber, and Carlos De La Rosa in the deal. Doval then struggled in New York before being moved again, this time to Pittsburgh.
The Pirates, out of the race, put Doval on waivers this week in an effort to save roughly $98K, according to MLBTR contributor Ethan Hullihen. San Francisco’s claim helped Pittsburgh trim that bit of money, while also giving the Giants another option to evaluate.
For the Giants, the move has nothing to do with the 2026 picture. They’re sitting at 65-94 and simply finishing out a lost season.
If Doval appears in a game or two before the year ends, those outings won’t carry much weight. The more likely play is that the Giants either plan to tender him a contract for 2027 or hope to move him in the offseason.
Doval is earning $6.1MM this year and remains under arbitration control for next season. His 4.30 ERA won’t support a massive raise, but he should still land somewhere in the $7-8MM range.
There’s also a baseball case for the pickup. The Giants’ bullpen has been a weak spot all season, posting a 4.18 ERA. It’s also a young group overall, with Sam Hentges and Jason Foley the only relievers in the pen with at least three years of service time, and both are returning from notable injury absences.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey has already acknowledged that the club will need more real upgrades in the bullpen next year. That work can come through free agency or trades, but San Francisco is adding one arm ahead of schedule by taking a chance on Doval now.
The upside is easy to see because the best version of Doval already wore a Giants uniform. From 2021 to 2023, he threw 162 1/3 innings with a 2.77 ERA, a 30.2% strikeout rate, a 9.6% walk rate and a 53.4% ground ball rate. He locked down the ninth inning and piled up 27 saves in 2022 and 39 the following season.
The problem, as it has been for a while, is the command. Doval still brings elite stuff, including an upper-90s cutter and sinker along with a slider and changeup, but too many pitches have missed the strike zone.
Since the start of 2024, he has a 4.23 ERA with a 13% walk rate. His 55.3% ground ball rate remains strong, and his 26% strikeout rate is still better than average, but the walks have been the sticking point.
For now, the Giants get a low-cost shot at a familiar reliever and a chance to see whether they can get him pointed back in the right direction. If they decide not to keep him on the books for next year, they can simply non-tender him in November.
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