SF Giants make surprise move by demoting 2023 NL All-Star reliever

SF Giants closer Camilo Doval has been sent down to Sacramento, mercifully hitting the pause button on what has been a humbling season for the flamethrower. His roster spot will go to Landen Roupp, who was recalled in a corresponding move.

SF Giants make surprise move by demoting 2023 NL All-Star reliever

Thursday’s appearance, where Doval blew a three-run lead against the Washington Nationals for his fifth blown save of the year, appears to have been the final straw. He walked two batters before giving up a three-run homer to Luis García Jr. that tied the game.

Not merely removing Doval from the closer’s role, but also demoting him to the minors, would have seemed unthinkable this time a year ago. In 162.1 career innings from 2021-23, Doval pitched to a 2.77 ERA along with a superb 30.2% K-rate, compiling 69 saves along the way.

This season, on the other hand, Doval’s been more Hyde than Jekyll. His walk rate has been at a career-high, letting 5.93 batters per nine innings reach via free passes, and his ERA sits at an obvious career-high of 4.70.

His velocity hasn’t wavered, but it has seemed like he’s suffered from a lack of focus on the mound at times. Perhaps this will be the mental reset Doval needs to get back to his old self.

It's fair to assume that Doval’s stint in Sacramento won’t last very long, but when he returns, he’ll have some work to do to regain the title of closer. Giants manager Bob Melvin told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that Ryan Walker will serve as the team's closer. There were other names to consider, but Walker makes a lot of sense.

Assuming Doval isn’t flipped in a change-of-scenery deal over the offseason, he will still be a big part of the Giants’ quest for contention in 2025. His résumé and raw stuff are just too good to overlook. When he’s right, he’s exactly what the Giants’ bullpen needs, but not if it means losing games in the short-term.

A stint in Sacramento to work on his mechanics and focus should be just the wake-up call Doval needs to get back to where he needs to be. With that being said, pitching in Triple-A could pose a challenge with the automatic strike zone. Walk rates have increased over the past couple of years due to it. Plus, pitching in the Pacific Coast League is typically a challenge given how hitter-friendly some of the ballparks are. Doval will need to prove that the control issues are behind him to return to the Giants.