Grading the SF Giants trade of Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees

The SF Giants made three trades at the trade deadline. This includes sending Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees in exchange for Jesus Rodriguez, Trystan Vrieling, Parks Harber and Carlos De La Rosa. How did they do in that deal?

Grading the SF Giants trade of Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees

I will caution that grading trades so quickly after the trade deadline can often be an exercise in futility. The full impact of the deal may not be realized for years.

Overall grade: C

What I liked

Once the Giants moved Tyler Rogers to the Mets, it was clear they were now focusing on 2026 and beyond. When you trade one of your best relievers, you are signaling that you are in sell mode.

Even if it was a modest sell-off, the Giants picked a direction. That was something they had not done in recent seasons. Those trade deadlines were either confusing or quiet, but never conveyed belief in the squad. The belief has to come from the players on the field. If they are not performing, it is time to move on.

The front office took notice of this and acted accordingly. With Camilo Doval, there was plenty of interest in the days leading up to the trade deadline. The Giants worked out a deal in the final moments before the trade deadline.

Doval has two more years of team control remaining after this one. The Giants felt like his value might never be higher because it is hard to predict how relievers will perform. If they struggle, that value disappears almost immediately. The Giants saw that with Doval last year, when he struggled and was briefly demoted to Triple-A.

The 2023 NL All-Star was in the midst of a modest rebound season, as he posted a 3.09 ERA in 47 outings. He also regained the closer role. This might be the high point over the next two seasons, so from a timing standpoint, a move felt right.

What I did not like

The return felt underwhelming. The Giants went with quantity over quality by acquiring four prospects. It felt like the Yankees got the better half of the deal, even if Camilo Doval had a tough first outing with his new team.

Perhaps, Jesus Rodriguez is the centerpiece of this from San Francisco's standpoint. Rodriguez is already on the 40-man roster, so Giants fans could see him as soon as this season.

The right-handed bat has a swing designed for line drives and contact. He has a 15.2 percent strikeout rate and a 91.4 percent in-zone contact rate in 396 plate appearances this year. His in-zone contact rate is an elite skill.

Rodriguez uses the entire field well, but the power upside is limited. His exit velocity averages 87.8 MPH, so the raw power is below average. Rodriguez also does not pull the ball in the air much and the ground ball rate is high, so his power will likely need to come from extra bases.

There will be pressure on his batting average to generate offensive value. In the minors, that has not been an issue at all, with a .308 career batting average across six minor league seasons. However, the combination of low power output and a high chase rate indicates that he will need to find a lot of holes in the defense.

In the field, Rodriguez has experience at catcher, third base, and first base. The scouting reports on his defense suggest that he is a work in progress. Third base is likely not an option for the Giants given that they have Matt Chapman at the position for the next several years. Rodriguez's bat does not profile for first base.

Young lefty pitcher Carlos De La Rosa might be an underrated addition in this deal. He is already ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the Giants' system according to MLB pipeline. Del La Rosa just signed with the Yankees during the 2025 international free agency cycle for $400,000.

The southpaw pitcher recorded a 5.32 ERA with 36 strikeouts and five walks in 22 innings in the Dominican Summer League. He throws a low-to-mid 90's fastball with a changeup and slider.