PHOENIX -- The 2024 season was unexpectedly tumultuous for Camilo Doval.
A 2023 All-Star, Doval opened last year entrenched as the Giants¡¯ closer, a role he held since he broke into the Majors as a fireballing rookie in 2021. But he lost his grip on the spot following a down season, with the Giants at one point demoting him to Triple-A Sacramento to try to get him on track.
Doval appears intent on turning the page and returning to form this season. He already is showing flashes of his old dominance, allowing only one run on two hits over six innings (1.50 ERA) in six Cactus League appearances.
¡°I think you see results when you work hard and give your 100% every day,¡± Doval said in Spanish.
One of the most encouraging signs for Doval has been his ability to consistently fill up the strike zone this spring. The 27-year-old right-hander saw his walk rate jump from 9.3% to 14.4% while struggling to a career-high 4.88 ERA over 62 appearances in 2024. This spring, Doval has issued only one walk and racked up seven strikeouts.
¡°Camilo is in a great space right now, and he¡¯s pitching really well, too,¡± manager Bob Melvin said. ¡°He¡¯s throwing strikes. He¡¯s efficient. He¡¯s worked on a lot of things. We haven¡¯t seen any baserunners here recently, but he¡¯s worked on his times to the plate, too. He knows it¡¯s about throwing strikes and limiting the walks. That¡¯s been a talking point with everybody this camp.¡±
The Giants invited former relievers Yusmeiro Petit and Santiago Casilla to serve as guest instructors this year, and they worked closely with Doval, who said he appreciated the chance to pick both of their brains during their week-long stints in camp. But Doval also has another familiar face in his corner this spring: Giants president of operations Buster Posey.
Doval was the subject of trade rumors after losing the closing gig to Ryan Walker last year, but Posey squashed speculation at the MLB Winter Meetings in December, saying he was ¡°bullish¡± on Doval¡¯s ability to bounce back and reestablish himself as a key piece of the Giants¡¯ bullpen. Posey¡¯s words certainly resonated with Doval, as the two were briefly batterymates before Posey retired as a player at the end of the 2021 campaign.
¡°It¡¯s been nice because he played with a lot of the guys who are on the team,¡± Doval said. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more confidence when someone knows you. I think things have been good.¡±
The Giants plan to keep Walker as their closer heading into the 2025 season, but Doval is expected to remain part of the back-end mix and could help make the bullpen a strength of the team. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise to see Doval get another chance at handling ninth-inning duties in the future, especially if he continues to attack the zone and refine other parts of his game, such as holding runners and being quicker to the plate.
¡°When you get humbled, you have to look at things a little bit differently,¡± Melvin said, ¡°and I think he does. But he¡¯s a talented guy. He¡¯s been an All-Star. He¡¯s been a closer for most of his career. Things flip around during the course of the season. We just want him to pitch well. If he does, he¡¯s going to be one of the back three.¡±
Worth noting
Melvin skipped the Giants¡¯ 11-5 loss to the Brewers at American Family Fields at Phoenix on Friday to watch rotation hopeful Landen Roupp, who started a Minor League game at the club¡¯s Player Development Center at Papago Park. Roupp didn¡¯t disappoint, striking out 13 over five scoreless innings.
The 26-year-old right-hander punched out the first nine batters he faced and gave up only one hit and one walk while throwing 66 pitches (51 strikes), bolstering his case to join Logan Webb, Justin Verlander, Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks in the Giants¡¯ season-opening rotation.
Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison are the other contenders for the fifth spot. Both are expected to pitch Sunday against the A¡¯s at Scottsdale Stadium.