The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired relief pitcher Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees as part of moves leading up to the MLB trade deadline. The Yankees received catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz in the exchange.
The Pirates, who are in need of bullpen help, are hoping to revitalize Doval's career. He was acquired by the Yankees at last year's deadline but has struggled to replicate his previous form. In the second half of last season and the first half of this current season, Doval posted below replacement-level numbers with a 4.63 ERA during his tenure in New York.
Three years ago, Doval was an All-Star with the San Francisco Giants, showcasing a cutter that averaged nearly 100 mph and recording 39 saves in 2023. However, he has faced challenges in consistently maintaining his performance and control in recent years, leading to his reassignment to lower-leverage situations with the Yankees. While he has reduced his walks this year and continues to throw hard, his strikeout rate has declined, and he is allowing a career-high rate of hard-hit balls and average exit velocity. His expected ERA of 3.61 is better than his actual ERA of 4.54, suggesting potential underlying performance metrics.
Doval remains under team control for another season, a factor contributing to the Pirates' "C+" grade on the deal. The Yankees' decision to move on from Doval, despite their own need for bullpen assistance, was seen as telling by analysts. The Yankees acquired Alfonzo, a left-handed-hitting catcher who was ranked among the Pirates' top-20 prospects and holds a .757 OPS at Double-A. Cruz, an 18-year-old, had an .856 OPS in the Pirates' Dominican Summer League team. The Yankees are reportedly seeking additional high-leverage arms and offensive reinforcements as the trade deadline approaches.