The San Francisco Giants 2026 season has been a highly disappointing one, and after spending big in some areas over the past few winters, it’s safe to say that life under Buster Posey isn’t going anywhere near as well as the organization hoped or even expected.
Whether it’s due to struggles or the overwhelming injury toll the team have dealt with, they’re now sitting at 65-94 on the season as they once again sit near the bottom of the National League West. The future could be bright if they stay healthy and have a big winter, but before their regular season comes to an end, the team have made a shocking waiver claim to reunite with a former top reliever.
Camilo Doval Claimed by the Giants
For the first five seasons of his career, Camilo Doval was with the San Francisco Giants, and in that time, he went from talented young prospect to arguably the organization’s best reliever. However, amid their struggles in 2025, the team traded him away to the New York Yankees, but unfortunately, Doval wasn’t able to recapture what made him special early in his days in San Francisco.
In 2026, Doval has hit rock bottom, as he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates from New York after posting a 4.54 ERA, and after just 20 appearances in Pittsburgh, the talented reliever was waived.
Nobody in San Francisco quite expected Doval to be a name they’d see on their roster again, but just over a year after acquiring four minor league prospects for him, the team have officially claimed the 29-year-old reliever.
Can Doval Recapture the Magic in San Francisco?
While his Yankees tenure didn’t go as anybody had hoped, Doval is still young enough to turn things around, and after posting a 3.29 ERA across 275 appearances with the Giants, the talent in Doval is still clearly there. The velocity remains high, but unfortunately the command and the stuff hasn’t been as effective this year, but in San Francisco, Doval will be given the opportunity to make himself a key piece of this bullpen once again.
Clearly, things didn’t end on too bad a note, as the Giants have reclaimed him just a year after dealing him to the Yankees, and with just three games left in their regular season, there’s a chance we see him in a Giants uniform once again.
How this plays out over the winter, only time will tell as Doval will be a free agent in the winter ahead, but if there’s anywhere that Doval can rekindle his success and hit the ground running once again, it’s the organization that helped build him into one of baseball’s most exciting relievers once before.
Giants Officially Reunite With Talented Six-Year Reliever on Waivers