The New York Yankees’ bullpen has been a mess for the past couple of months, but general manager Brian Cashman completely revamped it before Thursday’s trade deadline expired.
Right before the 6 p.m. ET deadline, the Yankees acquired hard-throwing right-hander Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants for prospects Jesús Rodríguez, Trystan Vrieling, Parks Harber and Carlos de la Rosa.
The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Camilo Doval from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor leaguers C Jesús Rodríguez, RHP Trystan Vrieling, INF Parks Harber and LHP Carlos de la Rosa.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 31, 2025
Doval is under team control through the 2027 season. Each of the Yankees’ additions to the bullpen — David Bednar, Jake Bird and Doval will be on the roster beyond 2025, which is important because Devin Williams and Luke Weaver will be free agents at season’s end.
Doval, an All-Star in 2023, has rebounded nicely following a disastrous 2024 season in which he was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento in August and finished with a 4.88 ERA. He’s also made improvements that two coaching staffs spent years coaxing him to address, slide-stepping to control the running game and reducing issues with the pitch clock. His arm talent continues to be undeniable — his cutter averages 98.1 mph — but it’s fair to wonder if Giants management would have felt ultra-confident watching him pitch in October with a season on the line.
In just one day, the Yankees’ bullpen, arguably the weakest part of their club, has turned into a strength. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was hoping the front office would add a few relievers. He got his wish.
Trade grade
Yankees: A
Giants: B-
Tyler Kepner: The Yankees started the day with a 4.24 relief ERA, ranking 21st in the majors — a figure made worse by a grisly 6.38 mark over the last 27 games. They’ve upgraded with another massive addition, trading for Doval to pair with Bednar at the back of the bullpen.
Doval, 28 years old and under team control through 2027, has righted himself after a discouraging 2024 season. His cutter averages 98 mph, second only to Emmanuel Clase this season (min. 40 innings), and he pairs it with an 89 mph power slider. His walks are up (4.6 per nine), but he’s still averaging better than a strikeout per inning while allowing fewer hits than ever (6.2 per nine).
In other words, he’s nasty. And with their rotation fairly shaky, the Yankees should be able to count on a bullpen loaded with high-leverage options: Bednar, Doval, Williams, Weaver, Tim Hill, the newly acquired Bird — and, when they return from the injured list, Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr.
The Giants went for quantity in the deal, with RHP Vrieling their highest-ranked prospect at MLB.com (No. 19 in the Yankees’ system). C/3B Rodriguez and 1B/3B Harber are also having excellent seasons, and the Giants clearly see potential.
(Photo: Nick Wass / Associated Press)
