Yankees trade reliever Doval to Pirates for two minor leaguers

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees on Saturday, the pair exchanging the former for minor league catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz, per ESPN. The Yankees are covering a portion of Doval's remaining salary on his contract.

Doval, 29, was a standout closer for the San Francisco Giants from 2021 through 2023, logging a 2.77 ERA over 166 appearances before earning All-Star honors in 2023. The Yankees acquired him from the Giants at last year's trade deadline. This season, however, Doval carries a 4.54 ERA in 44 outings after struggling with command and consistency. He surrendered multiple hits and walks in 15 of those 44 appearances and was charged with multiple runs in six of them. The Yankees moved him into low-leverage duty by June, per ESPN's reporting.

Doval's arsenal includes a cutter that touches 101 mph, a sinker sitting at 98 mph, and a wicked slider. Since the end of 2023, however, he has posted a 4.28 ERA with a significantly higher walk rate and lower strikeout rate than his earlier years, illustrating the volatility that has defined his tenure in the majors beyond his Giants peak.

The Yankees' bullpen entered Saturday ranked first in the majors in ERA and seventh in Win Probability Added, according to ESPN. By moving Doval, the team is shedding a reliever who failed to hold down high-leverage work despite his pedigree.

The Pirates, by contrast, entered Saturday with a 55-56 record, sitting 2.5 games out of the final National League wild-card spot. Their bullpen ranks 23rd in ERA and 19th in Win Probability Added, per ESPN. Last week the Pirates acquired right-hander Ron Marinaccio from the San Diego Padres and designated Dennis Santana, one of the team's high-leverage relievers to start the season, for assignment (the roster move that removes a player from the 40-man roster). Pittsburgh has scored the second-most runs in baseball and features reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes leading the rotation, framing the bullpen as the weakness holding back a team seeking its first playoff appearance since 2015.

The Pirates are essentially banking on Doval as a "high-ceiling, low-floor enigma," according to ESPN's characterization. Whether his arm talent can translate into consistent results in Pittsburgh, or whether his recent pattern of erratic performances continues, will carry weight in the team's push toward the wild-card line.