What Setup Options Exist Beyond Camilo Doval for Yankees

Camilo Doval's outing against the Royals started off well enough. It looked like it was going to be one of the few he had while with the New York Yankees that would be drama-free.

Maikel Garcia was called out on strikes in four pitches. He got him looking on a slider at the bottom of the plate. Then he got Bobby Witt Jr. to fly out.

His at-bat against native New Yorker Vinnie Pasquantino was the difference between this being a stellar outing and another disappointing night for the inconsistent Doval. Funny enough, the pitch that Pasquantino sent into the short porch wasn't bad. It was a 97.4 MPH sinker at the bottom of the zone, that saw less of the strike zone than the pitch that got Garcia looking and had Witt flying out.

KC - Vinnie Pasquantino Solo HR (2)
⚡ Game-tying HR ⚡

📏 339 ft | 💨 95.8 mph | 📐 33°
⚾️ 97.4 mph sinker (NYY - RHP Camilo Doval)
🏟️ Out in 9/30 MLB parks

KC (2) @ NYY (2)
🔺 8th#FountainsUp pic.twitter.com/rMH7gaPD88
— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) April 18, 2026

After another poor night, when do the Yankees start looking at other options for the 8th inning? Given the state of the bullpen, their prospects aren't great, but at this point, it doesn't feel like Doval can handle those high-leverage spots.

Current options

Tim Hill is one name that comes to mind. In nine innings, Hill has allowed one earned run. He has been the quiet face of dependability since their World Series run in 2024, and in 120 innings in New York, he has a 2.55 ERA. In his nine-year career, this is his best stop, and he is having another solid season.

New York Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (41) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The issue with Hill in the 8th is that he doesn't have great strikeout stuff. Does exposing him in such a high-leverage situation put him at risk? Teams probably aren't scouting him as much since he has a smaller role right now, but if the Yankees move him into a more prominent position, that could change.

There's also Fernando Cruz. Cruz, who has one of the nastiest splitters in the sport, is a different pitcher than the guy he was with the Reds. Cruz was coming off back-to-back seasons with an ERA close to five before being traded to the Yankees, and while in New York, he has a 3.42 ERA in 55.1 innings.

Unlike Hill, who pitches to contact, Cruz is a strikeout artist. In those 55.1 innings, Cruz has struck out 82 batters. He has a better chance of succeeding in that role than Hill just based on that.

These are short-term solutions, of course. As far as internal options go, Luis Gil feels destined for the bullpen. Will Warren shouldn't lose his job once Gerrit Cole comes back. What's to say that Gil couldn't excel as a setup man?

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws a pitch during the first inning against Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

Gil could just let it rip, and that fastball and slider can be a devastating combo if he's coming out of the bullpen. In a lot of ways, he could be heading down the same road as Jonathan Loaisiga — though Gil has had a better, more extensive track record as a starter than Loaisiga.

Then, of course, there's Carlos Lagrange, who could have the best stuff in the entire Yankees organization. That might be something they look into in the summer when they feel he's stretched out enough. It just doesn't feel plausible right now, but a 103 MPH fastball is something to dream on.

Is Doval close?

While things haven't gone well for Doval, after the game, Aaron Boone remarked that he was "close."

"He missed in the slug zone, but the three outs around that were really good," Boone said, according to the New York Post's Dan Martin. "I know he's gotten hurt with a couple of long balls. He's close to being dialed in."

There's some credence to what Boone said. Witt is one of the game's best, and Doval got him out with ease. Even Adam Ottavino, serving as a YES analyst for the game, mentioned that Doval looked better outside of the one blemish, but for a player who hasn't performed well since being traded to New York, there needs to be more results than silver linings.

Doval has back-to-back outings with a home run now. He allowed one in that slugfest with the Angels, and were it not for heroics by Trent Grisham, he would have taken the loss.

On the whole for the season, Doval has allowed seven earned runs in 8.1 innings. The one thing that he has improved on since last year — at least for now, he has — is his walks. Surprisingly, he only has one walk in 2026.

New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Oracle Park. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Just like Ryan McMahon, who has struggled since his trade, the Yankees have not gotten the best version of Doval. In 27 innings with the Yankees, he has a 5.67 ERA. He has allowed 17 earned runs, and two of the four home runs that he has served up have come this season.

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