The Giants opted to use a right-hander Camilo Dovalvia Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com on X. Earlier, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported on X that Doval appeared to be out. The club also chose to hold Jackson Reetzaccording to Guardado in X. To take two list positions, hold Curt Casali he was restored to the father's list again Landen Roupp he was remembered.
The move highlights what the 2024 campaign has been like for Doval, especially lately. He spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons as the club's lights-out closer, throwing 135 1/3 innings with a 2.73 earned run average. He struck out 29.5% of the batters he faced and got ground balls at a 54.4% clip. His 9.9% walk rate was pretty high, but it's not. For reference, MLB pitchers had a combined 9.5% walk rate last year. Doval saved 27 games in 2022 and 39 last year, the latter number leading the National League.
That performance put him on the map as one of the best closers in the game. He was selected to the 2023 National League All-Star team and the Giants held extension talks with him last year. But 2024 was a different story. Doval collected another 22 saves but that was despite his 4.70 ERA on the year. His strikeout and groundball rates are still solid but he has walked 14.3% of the batters he has faced.
Things have been trending in the wrong direction as well. Since the start of June, Doval has a 6.75 ERA in his 21 1/3 innings pitched and blown four saves in that span. Apparently, the Giants feel he needs some sort of reset. Instead of just putting him in a low position, they will send him to the kids to try to get him back on track.
Zilomo will now look at who will close the games. Manager Bob Melvin said they were going to have one guy on the job but he hadn't told that guy yet, according to Slusser on X. You said that. Jordan Hicks may be an option later but not yet.
Maybe that will point Ryan Walker to come in and take the job. The righty started last year with a 3.23 ERA in 61 1/3 innings. He was even better this year, with a 2.24 ERA in his 60 1/3 innings. He struck out 30.5% of the batters he faced while striking out at just a 5.6% clip and opposing batters put the ball down at a 47.5% rate. He has moved into a relief role as he has 21 catches on the year so far.
Turning to Doval and his contract situation, the move won't have much of an impact on him unless this turns out to be very long term in the minors. He entered this season with two years and 71 days of service time, which puts him 101 days shy of the three-year mark. Since we're over 130 days into the season at this point, you've already crossed that line. That means he will be eligible for arbitration this winter and still on track to become a free agent after 2027.
Career choices in future seasons could impact that timeline, however. He currently has two years to choose from. A player needs to spend at least 20 days at an option in a season for that to count as one of his options. Even if Doval sits down to use one here in 2024, he'll have another to use next season.
Of course, all concerned will be hoping that this concern will come to light. Ideally, Doval could quickly regain control and return to the Giants in the short term and boost their bullpen for a run. The club is 59-58 and just three games out of a playoff spot at this point. They feel that selecting Doval from the minors is the best thing for the club at the moment but his return to form will be even better in the future.
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