The Yankees acquired Camilo Doval from the Giants at the 2025 trade deadline to shore up their bullpen. It didn’t go smoothly at first.
Doval struggled out of the gate, giving up 10 runs in his first 16 games with New York. That’s not what you want from a guy who’s supposed to stabilize your relief corps.
But here’s the thing about Doval – he figured it out when it mattered most.
The right-hander put together six straight scoreless innings to close out the regular season, then carried that momentum into some quality postseason work. Now the Yankees are banking on him taking a much bigger role in 2026.
Setup Man Role
With David Bednar expected to handle ninth-inning duties, Doval’s projected as the primary setup man. That’s a crucial spot in any bullpen, especially one that’s been through some changes.
Manager Aaron Boone seems optimistic about what he’s seeing from Doval this winter. Per NY Daily News’ Gary Phillips, Boone’s feeling good about where his reliever is headed into 2026.
“I know just in talking to our pitching guys, it seems like he’s had a really good, efficient winter in terms of communication and throwing program and getting himself ready to go. So I’m really optimistic on what Camilo is going to do for us, just based on how we were able to finish with him and from what I’m hearing about his winter so far.”
The communication piece is interesting. That’s often where things break down for relievers who struggle after trades – new coaching staff, different approaches, unfamiliar surroundings.
Sounds like Doval’s been putting in the work this offseason, both physically and in terms of staying connected with the organization. Boone’s comments suggest the Yankees feel pretty good about thier bullpen setup heading into the new season.
If Doval can build on how he finished 2025 rather than how he started his Yankees tenure, that eighth-inning role could be exactly what New York needs. The talent’s clearly there – it’s just about consistency at this point.
