Former Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Camilo Doval has been claimed off waivers by a team in the NL West.
Just two days after being designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates, right-hander Camilo Doval has found a new home for the last few games of the 2026 regular season.
Doval was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants, his old stomping grounds. The veteran right-hander will now play for the Giants over the last week of the season.
To make room for veteran Kirby Yates on the roster, the Pirates decided to let go of Doval, whom the team landed from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. Doval was traded for prospects Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz.
With Pittsburgh, Doval posted a 3.79 ERA and walked 14 batters, seeing 20 games with the team. The Pirates couldn't send him down to the minor leagues since he was out of options, so designating him for assignment was the only move for Pittsburgh.
Doval performed better with the Pirates than with the Yankees, helping his value around the league, likely leading to the Giants claiming him. With New York, Doval put up a 4.54 ERA in 44 games played.
Pirates manager Don Kelly was honest about the performance of Doval with the team, saying that it was a mixed bag for the veteran. Kelly said that the decision to move on from Doval came down to the team wanting to maximize the innings down the stretch of the season, and giving younger guys more chances.
This signals that Doval wasn't likely a long-term plan for the Pirates, so giving some younger players more chances does make sense. Doval was under club control for next season, with the veteran expected to make around $7-10 million in 2027.
Now, the Giants will be on the hook for his contract, and San Francisco will be looking for him to reclaim his status from a few years ago. San Francisco is very familiar with Doval, with him playing for the organization before.
Doval was an All-Star and the National League saves leader in 2023 with the Giants. San Francisco has been trying to build its bullpen back up this year, and Doval could be a strong flier option for next season.
The decision to part ways with Doval was an interesting one for the Pirates, but the team seems to have a plan in place. But for the sake of the right-hander, the hope is that he can bounce back with the Giants moving forward.
