Camilo Doval’s latest stop ended the same way the last one did: with another team moving on.
The Pittsburgh Pirates designated the former SF Giants closer for assignment, closing another rough chapter in a season that has taken him from New York to Pittsburgh and, now, to the waiver wire. Doval posted a 3.79 ERA in 19 innings with the Pirates, but the walks told a uglier story. He issued 14 free passes while striking out 23, and that kind of control simply wasn’t going to sit well for long.
That followed a 4.54 ERA in 44 appearances with the Yankees earlier this season, after he was traded to New York last season and finished with a 4.82 ERA there. The numbers say he’s been nowhere near the overpowering version Giants fans remember, but they also leave the door open a crack.
He’s not a lost cause. A few mechanical adjustments could still get him moving in the right direction, and the idea of a reset in San Francisco doesn’t sound crazy.
That’s why the Giants should at least consider grabbing him off waivers.
Blade Tidwell is likely headed to the IL after leaving Monday night’s game with elbow discomfort, which means San Francisco needs another arm anyway. They could turn to someone like Braxton Roxby from the minors, or they could go a little further out on the edge and bring Doval back into the fold.
The downside is obvious: if he struggles, it barely changes anything in a season that is already basically done. The upside is where it gets interesting.
If Doval looks sharp, the Giants could keep him around into the offseason and maybe even get the kind of rebound that puts him back on track for 2026. That would also make San Francisco look pretty smart for having landed Jesus Rodriguez, Parks Harber, and Trystan Vrieling from the Yankees in the first place.
Is that the most likely outcome? Probably not.
But the Giants have been through enough, and the baseball gods seem to owe them one. With four young arms possibly missing from the picture and a bullpen that needs help anyway, why not take the chance?
2026 cannot get much odder.
In Other News...
Giants Suddenly Have A Tougher Offseason Decision On Jung Hoo Lee
The Giants roster shuffle this week brought another reminder that their outfield picture is still very much in flux. Jung Hoo Lee landing on the injured list, along with Bryce Eldridge, opened the door for Bo Davidson and Marcelo Mayer to join the major league roster, while Philip Abner was designated for assignment. It is the kind of move that can look routine in September, but for San Francisco it also feeds into a bigger evaluation that goes beyond the immediate lineup.
What happens next matters because the Giants are no longer just sorting out playing time, they are sorting out priorities. Lee still sits at the center of that conversation, but the emergence of the new call-ups could influence how the front office views its options once the offseason arrives. Depending on how Davidson and Mayer perform, and on what the Giants decide they need most, the club may have to weigh whether keeping Lee and Casey Schmitt remains the best path forward. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Have Every Reason To Worry About Blade Tidwell
Blade Tidwells night ended early with elbow discomfort, and now the Giants are waiting on further testing to see exactly what theyre dealing with. It is the kind of update San Francisco could hardly afford, because the club is already managing a pitching staff stretched thin by injuries and constant shuffling.
Cesar Perdomo is lined up to take upcoming starts as the Giants sort through the rotation, but Tidwells status could add another layer of uncertainty to the mix. If the tests reveal a more serious issue, he could become the latest starter to land on the injured list, leaving the Giants with even fewer stable answers on the mound. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Just Reopened A Marcelo Mayer Question Fans Thought Was Settled
Marcelo Mayers move to San Francisco was about more than a change of scenery. The infielder, dealt from Boston to the Giants for Erik Miller and Carlos Gutierrez, had already spent enough time battling injuries and trying to get his offense on track before the trade gave him a fresh start. He made his Giants debut recently, and the shift has brought a different kind of attention with it, especially after Mayer and his father described the relief that came from leaving behind the strain of fan criticism and the atmosphere that had built up around him in Boston.
For the Red Sox, the deal has also reopened questions about what exactly went wrong with a player they once viewed as a key part of their future. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow pushed back on rumors suggesting off-field issues were part of the story, but the trade itself has only added to the sense that Mayers time in Boston was more complicated than the public saw. Now the Giants get the next look at a talent whose path has already included injuries, uneven production and plenty of scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]