Camilo Doval's recent struggles continued on the Fourth of July as the New York Yankees suffered an 11-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. The right-handed pitcher was hit hard for the second outing in a row, allowing four runs.
One of Doval's runs in the eighth inning was exacerbated by an error from his defense, but he ultimately surrendered a walk-off hit to Trevor Larnach, a sacrifice fly to Byron Buxton, an RBI single to Kody Clemens, and a two-run home run to Josh Bell. This sequence occurred against left-handed hitters, a group that has consistently troubled Doval throughout the season.
M anager Aaron Boone noted Doval's OPS against lefties has been .951 this season, a significant increase from his career mark of .728. Conversely, his performance against right-handed hitters has remained strong, with Boone stating he continues to throw the ball well against them.
In his previous appearance, Doval uncharacteristically walked three batters. This time, the damage came from three base hits. On the season, Doval has already given up a career-high six home runs, all within his last 27 2/3 innings pitched.
As the Yankees look to bolster their bullpen at the upcoming trade deadline, they aim to avoid repeating past mistakes, such as the acquisitions of Doval and Jake Bird, both of whom have been ineffective since joining the team. Doval remains with the Yankees for now, possessing a minor league option that would allow him to be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre without requiring waivers.
The organization has held onto Doval, valuing his velocity and strikeout potential over some other minor league relievers. Despite a slight dip in his strikeout rate this season, his walk rate has also decreased. However, for a pitcher acquired to handle high-leverage situations, Doval's performance has been underwhelming. With less than a month remaining until the trade deadline, his opportunities to prove his capability in crucial roles appear to be dwindling.