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SF Giants Player Review 2026: Camilo Doval came home which is where he should stay

He could be a key part of the bullpen next season.
ByNick San Miguel
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San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Camilo Doval (57) and catcher Drew Cavanaugh come off the field during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Camilo Doval (57) and catcher Drew Cavanaugh come off the field during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A lot of people like to talk about their bingo cards and what they did not have on them in any given year. I don’t think anyone actually does have these bingo cards, but if there’s an SF Giants fan who made a Kalshi “trade,” (as the Giants themselves want us to do) that Camilo Doval would be back on the team in 2026 then good on them.

Doval began the year with the New York Yankees looking to rebound from a rough second half in 2025 after he was dealt to New York by the Giants. That rebound did not work out as he had a 4.54 ERA with the Yankees and got dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Things were a little better there as he had a 3.79 ERA but walks were an issue and the Pirates knew they were going to bring him back so they designated him for assignment and the Giants decided to swoop in and bring him home.

His two outings with San Francisco at the end of the season were strong as he pitched two scoreless innings and struck out four batters, looking a little like the guy who was an All-Star for San Francisco back in 2023.

The Giants now have a choice to make with Doval in the offseason. They can offer him a contract and get him for around $6.5 million if the MLB Trade Rumors projection is on point, or they can decide to non-tender him which would make him a free agent.

They could still sign him after non-tendering him, but every other team would have a chance at him too so there’s a risk that comes with that approach.

Doval could end up being a key piece of Giants' 2027 bullpen

No matter how the Giants do it, Doval should be in the bullpen next season. Yes, he has had his struggles and his ups and downs over the years but they know how solid he can be when he’s right. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will be an All-Star again but if he can at least be a solid reliever closer to how he was in 2025 with the Giants then he’d be a valuable part of the bullpen.

It may be foolish to read too much into those two outings with San Francisco at the end of the year, but he genuinely seemed to be happy that he was back with the Giants. Maybe being back in familiar surroundings will make him take this second stint really seriously so that he stays put for a while. Perhaps he could even reclaim his closer role which would be a great development after the Giants didn't have a true closer for all of 2026.

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