Camilo Doval had an up-and-down 2024 MLB season for the Giants, but that reportedly hasn't stopped teams from pondering a trade for the reliever this winter.
Interest in Doval across the league is "strong," the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reported Sunday, as teams seek to improve the back ends of their bullpens.
While the Giants aren't shopping Doval, per Slusser, she listed seven contenders who could trade for Doval's services: The Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
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The 27-year-old Doval struggled this past season, posting a 4.88 ERA in 59 innings over 62 appearances. The Giants removed him from the closer's role and optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento in early August, hoping he could iron out a few issues under less pressure.
The Giants recalled Doval on Aug. 24 and he posted a 5.40 ERA in 16 appearances over the final five weeks of the season. Even with Ryan Walker taking over the closer role, Doval's previous success as San Francisco's flamethrower seems to have other teams inquiring.
“I’ve seen him good and I’ve seen him bad,” a scout told Slusser this winter. “Which is he?”
Doval was one of five arbitration-eligible Giants players this offseason, and San Francisco last month tendered him a contract that would pay him $2.9 million in 2025, per Slusser. The organization still could trade him down the line, but the Giants decided Doval was valuable enough to keep under team control for now.
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Doval is just one season removed from an MLB All-Star campaign and still can throw a 100-mph fastball past opposing batters. If he can find his form again, he could be an important contributor in a bounce-back campaign for San Francisco next season.
Or, one of the Giants' competitors.