The Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t wait until the offseason to make a call on one of their trade deadline pickups.
On Sept. 22, the club designated right-handed reliever Camilo Doval for assignment while reinstating fellow right-handed reliever Kirby Yates from the 15-day injured list. Doval arrived in Pittsburgh on Aug. 1, when the Pirates dealt prospects 23-year-old catcher Omar Alfonzo and 18-year-old outfielder Luis Cruz to the New York Yankees two days before the trade deadline.
At the time, Pittsburgh viewed Doval as a low-risk, high-reward bullpen arm for a relief group that needed help after a rough first four months of 2026. He came with plenty of name value, too, having spent four seasons as the San Francisco Giants’ closer from 2022 to 2025 and earning National League All-Star honors in 2023, when he led the league with 39 saves.
But the fit never really clicked into anything more than serviceable production. In 20 appearances with the Pirates, Doval posted a 3.79 ERA across 19 innings, allowed a .271 batting average, and finished with a 1.74 WHIP.
The money likely played a role in the decision as well. Doval is entering his final year of arbitration this offseason, and he made $6.1 million this season, with an even bigger salary expected next year.
Rather than take the chance of keeping him around and eventually non-tendering him, Pittsburgh is moving on now and planning to search for bullpen help elsewhere this winter.
In Other News...
Pirates Fans Have A Prospect Worth Watching In Arizona
The Arizona Fall League is about to open its 34th season on Oct. 3, and for Pirates fans it offers one more place to track a young player before the offseason really settles in. The league has long been a proving ground for prospects who are close to the big leagues, and this year's group includes plenty of names worth monitoring around the game, from Eduardo Quintero to Zyhir Hope and Caleb Bonemer.
For Pittsburgh, the real draw is the chance to keep tabs on an under-the-radar talent with a chance to make some noise in the desert. The AFL often gives players a final stage to build momentum after a strong year, and the Pirates' interest is obvious anytime one of their prospects gets a shot in a league known for turning promise into a faster path to the majors. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Prospect Murf Gray Is Rising Faster Than Fans Expected
Murf Grays first professional season gave the Pirates plenty to feel good about, and not just because he ended the year in Double-A Altoona. The 2026 rise was quick even by the standards of a prospect who keeps forcing his way up the ladder, as Gray moved through three levels while putting together a .305 average, a .969 OPS and 32 home runs.
The production was enough to land Gray on MLB Pipelines Top 100 Prospects list, but the numbers only tell part of why he has gotten attention inside the organization. Pirates director of coaching and player development Michael Chernow pointed to Grays growth on both sides of the ball, noting improvements in his hitting and defense as the season went on, which is exactly the kind of progression that can turn a fast riser into a real factor in the system. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Final Cardinals Series Puts Pressure On Two Familiar Arms
The Pirates close out their final home series against the Cardinals with a rotation setup that should feel familiar by now, even if the faces keep shifting. Jared Jones gets the opener after a strong September stretch, an unannounced starter handles the middle game, and Paul Skenes is lined up for the finale, giving Pittsburgh another look at two young arms it has leaned on heavily while trying to piece together the back end of the season.
For Jones, the timing offers another chance to keep building on recent form in a setting where the Pirates have little left to play for except evaluation and momentum. Skenes, meanwhile, remains the more complicated storyline, since the talent has been obvious all year but the consistency has not, with mechanical issues still part of the conversation as the club tries to manage his workload and development. The bullpen picture also gets a little more interesting with rookie pitchers Khristian Curtis, Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly expected to work in relief during the series. [Read more 🡒]