Camilo Doval’s road has led back to San Francisco, and the Giants will get one more look at the former All-Star closer during the final weekend of the regular season. The club claimed the hard-throwing right-hander off waivers from the Pirates on Thursday, reuniting with a pitcher it traded away at the 2025 deadline.
A familiar arm returns to a changed bullpen
Doval, 29, first reached the majors with the Giants in 2021 and spent five seasons in the organization before last summer’s trade to the Yankees. At his best, he was one of the National League’s busiest finishers, earning an All-Star selection in 2023 after posting a 2.93 ERA and leading the league with 39 saves.
That version of Doval has been harder to find over the past two years, but the Giants have also been searching for steadier late-inning options since moving both Doval and Tyler Rogers. San Francisco’s relief corps carries a 4.18 ERA, 19th in the majors, and its experienced choices beyond left-hander Sam Hentges and right-hander Jason Foley have been limited.
- Doval is under team control through the 2027 season.
- He is earning $6.1 million this year.
- He will be arbitration-eligible again this offseason, leaving the Giants with a winter tender decision.
- The waiver claim gives San Francisco a chance to evaluate whether his power arm can again become part of its back-end plans.
A season of stops after the trade
The Giants dealt Doval to the Yankees in exchange for Jesus Rodriguez, Parks Harber, Trystan Vrieling and Carlos De La Rosa. He began 2026 in New York, making 44 appearances with a 4.54 ERA before the Yankees sent him to Pittsburgh on Aug. 1.
His Pirates stay lasted less than two months. Doval worked in 20 games, allowing a 3.79 ERA across 19 innings, though he issued 14 walks. Pittsburgh designated him for assignment earlier this week, opening the door for his return to the club where he developed into a closer.
Tidwell moved to the 60-day injured list
Right-hander Blade Tidwell was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right elbow sprain to create room for Doval on the 40-man roster. Tidwell was advised Tuesday to undergo surgery for a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, a procedure expected to keep him out for most, if not all, of the 2027 campaign.
One more roster milestone may be waiting
If Doval takes the mound against the Dodgers in the season-ending series this weekend, he will become the 71st player used by the Giants this year. That would match the major league mark established by the 2025 Braves.
Manager Tony Vitello said the roster churn has reflected an unusually eventful season, even by the standards of a long major league schedule.
“There’s always plenty that happens over a season,” Vitello said. “Every player has a different story, but ours has been unusual in a number of ways. It’s a wild situation. In my first year here, you want to get to know everybody, and this has certainly been one way to do that.”
