Camilo Doval Designated for Assignment by Pirates After Season Struggles

Camilo Doval, a former reliever for the New York Yankees, was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. This move followed the activation of fellow reliever Kirby Yates from the injured list. Doval was acquired by the Yankees from the San Francisco Giants as part of a trade that also brought David Bednar from the Pirates, with expectations that he would contribute significantly in late-game situations. However, Doval's performance did not meet those expectations, as he recorded a 4.82 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP in 22 games with the Yankees last season. This year, he struggled further, posting a 4.54 ERA and achieving a career-low strikeout rate of 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings. The Yankees traded Doval to the Pirates ahead of this year’s trade deadline in exchange for minor league players Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz. Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented on Doval's potential, stating, "I think he’s a really good kid that really tried to make adjustments... He is a guy with a lot of ability." In Pittsburgh, Doval had a slightly improved ERA of 3.79, but his walk rate of 6.6 would be the highest of his career if sustained over a full season. The Pirates, currently at 79-77, were eliminated from postseason contention last week, partly due to the underperformance of their bullpen, including Doval and Luke Weaver. Weaver's struggles included an ERA of 5.79 since joining the Pirates, which he attributed to a severe case of poison ivy.