Camilo Doval’s return to San Francisco came late, but it was enough to remind the Giants what they’ve been missing.
After spending the start of the year with the New York Yankees, Doval was dealt again, this time to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The rebound he was chasing after a rough second half in 2025 never really arrived in New York, where he posted a 4.54 ERA before the move. Pittsburgh was a bit kinder to him - his ERA there sat at 3.79 - but the walks remained a problem, and the Pirates designated him for assignment before the Giants stepped in and brought him back.
Once he was back in orange and black, the results were encouraging. Doval finished the season with two scoreless innings for San Francisco, striking out four batters and flashing the kind of stuff that once made him an All-Star for the Giants in 2023.
Now the question is what happens next. San Francisco can offer him a contract and, if the MLB Trade Rumors projection holds, keep him for around $6.5 million. Or the Giants can non-tender him and send him into free agency, where they could still try to re-sign him later, but only after every other club has had a shot.
However they handle the paperwork, Doval looks like someone the Giants should want back in the mix. He’s had his ups and downs, but the ceiling is obvious, and if he can settle in as a steadier reliever, he could become an important part of the bullpen heading into 2027.
Those two late appearances in San Francisco probably shouldn’t be overread, but Doval did seem genuinely glad to be home. If this second Giants stint helps him lock in and stick around, it could wind up being more than a reunion. It could be the start of him taking back a meaningful role - maybe even the closer job - after San Francisco went through all of 2026 without a true one.
In Other News...
Giants Still Have One Roster Problem They Cant Ignore Before 2027
Buster Poseys front-office overhaul has given the Giants a different feel heading into the 2026 season, with Tony Vitello stepping in as manager and the organization trying to pull itself out of a long stretch of inconsistency since the 2014 title. The club has made the postseason only twice in that span, and the current roster still carries obvious work to do after a season that exposed needs across the bullpen, the rotation and the lineup.
San Francisco is banking on a few core pieces to help turn the corner, with Camilo Doval still a key arm in relief and Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge among the bats expected to matter in the near future. Even so, the biggest question is whether the Giants can solve the lingering roster flaw that continues to hang over the franchise as it looks past 2026 and toward a more complete team in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Still Have A 2027 Bullpen Question Despite Randy Rodrguezs Return
Randy Rodrguez has started to show encouraging signs in the Arizona Fall League after working his way back from injury, and that alone gives the Giants a useful piece to monitor as they look ahead. His stuff still makes him an intriguing arm for a bullpen that will need depth and quality, and his return gives San Francisco a chance to imagine how he might fit into the mix once hes fully back in a big league setting.
Even so, the longer view matters here, especially with his earlier struggles in the closer role and the reality of a Tommy John surgery in the recent past. For the Giants, the cleaner path for 2027 is to add a dedicated closer over the offseason and let Rodrguez ease back into lower-pressure middle relief work first, rather than asking him to immediately anchor the end of games. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Offseason Pitching Search May Come Down To One Key Choice
The Giants offseason pitching search is starting to take shape around a familiar kind of question: do they chase proven upside, or lean toward healthier, more stable arms that could fit more cleanly into next years plans? Among the names being floated are Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, Antonio Senzatela and JoJo Romero, a group that reflects just how wide the market could be for San Francisco as it looks to bolster a staff that always seems to be one of the central talking points in the winter.
Peralta and Woodruff bring the sort of front-line appeal that can change a rotations ceiling, but both come with recent injury concerns that any club would have to weigh carefully. Senzatela and Romero offer a different kind of decision, with their recent performance and contract situations making them more attainable depending on how the market develops. For the Giants, the real challenge may be choosing which version of pitching help to prioritize before the bidding even gets serious. [Read more 🡒]