The New York Yankees have been slapped with endless criticism in recent weeks.
One of the primary players taking the heat has been 29-year-old reliever Camilo Doval.
Despite his ongoing struggles, skipper Aaron Boone isn’t giving up on him just yet.
Yankees’ Aaron Boone Offers Encouragement for Camilo Doval
GettyCamilo Doval of the New York Yankees received encouragement from manager Aaron Boone
As reported by SNY Yankees (via X) ahead of New York’s series finale against the Minnesota Twins, Boone sat down with the media and discussed Doval’s woes.
One reporter asked Boone if he believes there’s still time left in the season to get Doval back to his previous level.
“Yes, and the reason I think so is because physically, all the attributes are there and the stuff is all there that are in line with who he was when he’s at his very best,” he confidently stated. “We’re not talking about an older player that’s lost a little bit, and he’s trying to reinvent himself, so that’s the challenge and [we’re] trying to get him unlocked and more consistent.”
“We’re not talking about an older player that’s lost a little bit and he’s trying to reinvent himself”
Toward the beginning of the season, Doval was looking like one of New York’s more reliable players in the bullpen.
Now, he’s showing concerning dips in performance.
In May, he was riding a 3.27 ERA.
Fast-forward to July, and he now owns an overall 4.81 ERA and 34 strikeouts across 33.2 innings of work through 38 games.
During his 2025 campaign, he finished with a 3.58 ERA and 72 strikeouts across 65.1 innings pitched through 69 games.
Doval’s 2026 campaign marks his first full season as a Yankee.
In July 2025, the San Francisco Giants shipped him to New York.
In exchange, they received Carlos De La Rosa, Parks Harber, Trystan Vrieling and Jesús Rodríguez.
Overall, in his six years in the Major Leagues, he’s registered a 3.54 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.
Simply put, due to his inconsistency, trust has been broken within the Yankees’ bullpen.
But Boone is adamant about tapping further into Doval and unlocking his potential once again.
New York Faces More Obstacles
GettyManager Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees are one day away from their series against the Tampa Bay Rays
For a franchise that was so dominant early on in the season, watching the Yankees plummet so quickly has been unnerving.
This is the point in the season in which postseason contention becomes a serious focus.
While New York is still second in the American League East, it doesn’t take much to drop.
The organization keeps losing players to the IL, pitchers are struggling and production at the plate has been minimal.
This is evidenced by their 11-4 loss to the Twins on Saturday afternoon, and by their losing skid last week.
Now navigating their series finale against Minnesota, they have one more opportunity to win the set.
On Monday, July 6, at 6:40 p.m., New York will kick off a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
As the division leaders, the Rays are unlikely to grant the Yankees a glaring chance to pull ahead.
However, New York isn’t too far behind Tampa Bay in the standings.
It’s a tight race in the American League East.
Each franchise is hoping to continue climbing.
New York Yankees’ Struggling Arm Gets Endorsement From Aaron Boone Amid Twins Series