Camilo Doval Could Fix Yankees Bullpen Issues

The New York Yankees are excited to see what Camilo Doval does in his first full season with the team.

Sep 5, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Camilo Doval (75) follows through on a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Even though the New York Yankees only got one save out of Camilo Doval last year, that doesn't mean he wasn't a great addition.

It took a lot to acquire the former San Francisco Giants closer at the trade deadline, four prospects, to be exact.

Doval had been with the Giants since 2021, but a key aspect in the trade is the fact he's under team control through 2027.

Now that the Yankees are getting their first full year out of Doval, they'd love to see the 28-year old return to form as it's clear he could be a huge addition to fix their bullpen.

Yankees Need Camilo Doval To Be Rock Solid

Sep 17, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Austin Slater (29) and relief pitcher Camilo Doval (75) celebrate a victory over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images | Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

No one expects the righty to be perfect, but Doval must keep this Yankees bullpen in check. There could be a time where this team asks him to take over as the closer, though that's not his projected role to start the year.

In total, Doval appeared in 69 games last year which tied his career high. He appeared in 47 games for the Giants before coming over to New York on July 31.

Doval threw 18.2 innings in a Yankees uniform which comes out to far fewer than one inning per game. For reference, he finished just under one inning per game with his 46.2 innings in 47 games for the Giants. It's not like that's the end of the world, just interesting to see how much of a difference there was with him in New York.

Can Doval Replicate 2022-23 Success?

New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) pitches the ball in a game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Aug 13, 2025, Bronx, New York, USA. Yannick Peterhans/NorthJersey.com | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

2022 was by far the best year of the Dominican Republic native's career as he finished with a career high 1.9 WAR in 68 games. He threw 67.2 innings in both 2022 and 2023 but his 2.53 ERA in 2022 was superior to the 2.93 he had the year prior.

At the end of the day, the Yankees would love to see his ERA return to that range. In San Francisco last year it was 3.09 but jumped to 4.82 during his time with the Yankees. The mid-season move clearly impacted him but now Doval has had a full offseason to regroup and get used to his surroundings.

If the Yankees want to make a run in 2026 it starts with their bullpen. There aren't too many fans worried about their offense or starting rotation, so Doval could be a key piece to them returning to the World Series. Coming off back to back years with his BB% in the bottom 3% of the league, that's the main number he needs to focus on.

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