SEATTLE — Camilo Doval’s 15-day stint in the Minors ended on Saturday when the Giants recalled their former closer from Triple-A Sacramento ahead of their game against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
To make room for Doval on the 26-man roster, San Francisco optioned Landen Roupp. Doval, a 2023 All-Star, was unexpectedly demoted on August 9 after posting a career-high 4.70 ERA in 46 appearances this season.
Instead of placing Doval in a lower-leverage role after he blew five of his 27 save chances, the Giants decided he would benefit more from time in the Minors to improve his strike-throwing and timing to the plate. Doval took the challenge in stride, allowing just two runs on two hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings across five outings for the River Cats.
“I don’t know that it could have gone better,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He worked on everything we asked him to. The numbers show he was throwing strikes and quicker to the plate. Everything you would hope for in a situation like this.”
“For him to go down there, it’s tough to swallow at first. But they said he didn’t sulk for even a minute. He knew he’d be back in 15 days if everything went well, and it did.”
Doval, 27, admitted he was caught off guard by the move but quickly got to work to ensure his swift return to the big leagues.
“I was very surprised,” Doval said in Spanish. “I said, ‘Wow.’ But you just have to accept their decision. They’re the ones in charge.”
During his time in the Minors, Doval had the chance to reconnect with fellow countryman Johnny Cueto, who was playing for the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento last week. Cueto, who spent the entire season in the Minors before earning another big league call-up with Los Angeles, mentored Doval when he first joined the Giants in 2021 and encouraged him to stay resilient.
“We talked a little bit,” Doval said. “He told me to trust my stuff and remember who I am. That will help me get back to where I was before and make me even better. There are ups and downs. It’s not always going to go well. But you have to keep your head up and keep working.”
Ryan Walker stepped in as the closer during Doval’s absence and further cemented his role with five strikeouts over two scoreless innings in the Giants’ 6-5, 10-inning loss on Friday night. However, with Walker likely unavailable on Saturday, Doval might get another opportunity to close if a save situation arises.
Doval said he’s ready to take on whatever role the Giants assign him moving forward, though he hopes to reclaim the ninth-inning role eventually.
“The results speak for themselves,” Doval said. “I think it’s going to be based on the numbers. I’m going to keep working to see what happens.”
