The Pittsburgh Pirates have released a veteran pitcher before their final home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced a roster move before their final home series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Pirates announced that the team has reinstated right-hander Kirby Yates from the 15-day injured list. And in a corresponding move, veteran right-hander Camilo Doval has been designated for assignment.
Doval, 29, was acquired at the trade deadline from the New York Yankees in exchange for prospects Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz. Pittsburgh brought him in to help bolster the bullpen, while giving Doval a chance to restore his value in the league.
With the Yankees, Doval put up a 4.54 ERA in 44 games played. New York wanted to see more from the right-hander, but he never turned it around.
Since coming to the Pirates, Doval posted a 3.79 ERA and walked 14 batters, seeing 20 games of action. The right-hander was out of options, forcing the Pirates to designate him for assignment.
Doval was under club control through the 2027 season, making this an interesting move for the Pirates. Pittsburgh could have elected to keep him around, but the Pirates seem to have a plan in place for the bullpen moving forward.
Doval is expected to get a deal in the range of $7-10 million for 2027 in his final year of arbitration, and it's possible that the Pirates didn't want to pay him that much. The veteran could be an interesting bounce-back flier candidate for next season, assuming nobody claims him off waivers.
The right-hander was an All-Star and the National League saves leader in 2023 while with the San Francisco Giants. But Doval has seen his numbers balloon over the last few years, leading to some questions around his game.
His control has been one of the major drops in his game, leading to the higher ERA. But with the Pirates, Doval had started to look more like himself.
Now, the veteran right-hander will be looking for his next opportunity in the big leagues, and there should be some teams interested in him.
As for the Pirates, they will be trying to finish the year on a high note. While Pittsburgh was eliminated from playoff contention, the Pirates want to put together a strong last two series.
Pittsburgh will be hosting the Cardinals for three games before heading out on the road for a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates have won six of their last 10 games overall entering the series against St. Louis.
