Buster Posey Addresses Camilo Doval’s Future With the Giants

The San Francisco Giants brought back Camilo Doval to end 2026, but does he have a role with this franchise in 2027?

San Francisco Giants pitcher Camilo Doval (57) and catcher Drew Cavanaugh come off the field. Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Francisco Giants pounced on the opportunity to bring back closing pitcher Camilo Doval once it was announced he was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The veteran, who was once a cornerstone piece in a trade with the New York Yankees, is back in Giants threads.

Doval struggled away from San Francisco, losing his closer role with the Yankees and posting bloated ERAs with both New York and Pittsburgh. The Pirates eventually replaced Doval with Kirby Yates and now it's the Giants' responsibility to decide his future.

The bullpen in San Francisco was very lackluster in 2026 and President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey will be the first to tell you he didn't do a good enough job constructing the unit. But with Doval back with the Giants, who holds a 3.27 career ERA with the franchise, Posey might be taking a step in the right direction.

Posey on Doval's 2027 Role

San Francisco Giants pitcher Camilo Doval (57) delivers a pitch at Oracle Park. Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his 2026 assessment press conference, Posey was asked about Doval and what his role will be for the 2027 team, especially if the President of Baseball Operations sees him as a valuable piece in turning the backend of the bullpen around.

"It's discussions that we'll have with the rest of the front office. He's obviously a big arm. Shown the ability to get strikeouts. The walks have kind of trended in the wrong direction. Always been a guy that had a tendency to walk a guy. So, I think we'll just have to keep having a conversation with our group and try to make the best decision we can with the bullpen," Posey said.

"But, it's nice to have him, and it was great to see him too, and I just think I saw him smile more in these last three days here than I did his last year playing."

So long as Doval can rediscover his command on the mound as he did when he was an All-Star for the Giants in 2023, it shouldn't be a difficult decision to keep him around. Doval enters his final year of arbitration after making $6.1 million with New York this past season.

If you ask Doval he'll tell you he wants to stay with San Francisco.

“If it were up to me, I’d stay here for the rest of my career. I like being here. This is where I got my start, and I know this is where I can get back to being the All-Star that I used to be. I’m 100% sure that I can do that," Doval said via Maria Guardado of MLB.com.

It's a long offseason, but one that the Giants will have to prioritize with a player returning to a play he often calls home.