SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Giants pitcher Camilo Doval has created an interesting predicament over his past few outings.
The Giants want Doval to spend his entire spring working on the little things, like holding runners at first and being quick to the plate. But Doval has been so efficient lately that he hasn’t had any opportunities to throw over, step off or try to deliver a strike well before the clock expires. Over his last three outings, it’s been nine up, nine down, with four strikeouts in those three quick innings.
The intricacies of the game will have to be mastered on the back fields at Scottsdale Stadium during workouts, and thus far, the Giants are thrilled with how Doval has attacked that process. Coming off a disappointing season that cost him his job as San Francisco’s closer, Doval has been locked in from the first day of camp.
He is taking the work seriously, and staffers speak glowingly of the leadership he has shown with younger Spanish-speaking players. Every morning, Doval picks up a few less experienced teammates and drives them to the ballpark.
“Camilo is in a great space right now,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s pitching really well, too. He’s throwing strikes, he’s efficient, he’s worked on a lot of things. We haven’t seen any baserunners recently but he’s working on his times to the plate, too. He knows it’s about throwing strikes and limiting walks.”
Doval too often lost contact with the strike zone last season, issuing 5.9 walks per nine innings and throwing seven wild pitches. The lack of command — and the inability to manage all those hitters he walked — led to the Giants shockingly sending him back to Triple-A, but Doval took the assignment in stride, arriving two days before the staff expected him to.
When Doval returned to the big leagues, Ryan Walker had a stranglehold on the ninth inning, and nothing has changed this spring. Walker is the closer, and Doval — who has 92 career saves and made the 2023 All-Star team — has no issues with that.
“He’s doing a great job,” he said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “With me, it’s just continuing to work, continuing to work, and I know that an opportunity is going to be there.”
Doval himself is an example of just how quickly things can change in the late innings. He was so dominant at times early in his career that the Giants considered locking him up long-term, but a few rough months bumped him way down the depth chart. The Giants don’t expect any sort of slump from Walker, but if help is needed at some point down the line, they know they have another option who is comfortable with the game on the line.
For now, Doval is settling into life as a setup man. Melvin is still trying to decide whether it’s Doval or Tyler Rogers who will get the eighth, but he offered a hint Thursday, pointing out that Rogers has been very effective in getting a lead to his closer. The submariner pitched in the eighth inning 62 times last year and posted a 2.53 ERA.
If Rogers is the main setup man, Melvin would have a bit of flexibility with Doval. Left-hander Erik Miller will usually be saved for the best lefties on the other side, which means he could be used anywhere from the sixth to the eighth when the Giants are protecting a lead. Doval could wind up being a valuable bridge piece to Rogers and Walker, one who is capable of giving Melvin multiple innings if needed.
Melvin is also toying with the idea of using Doval as his fireman with runners on base, a role Walker excelled in before being elevated to the ninth. Doval has the stuff to get out of any jam with strikeouts. That role, though, requires throwing strikes and making sure any inherited runners don’t immediately take off for the next base. That’s why this spring’s steps forward are so encouraging.
“He’s got strikeout stuff,” Melvin said. “It’s the other stuff — it’s being quick to the plate, not allowing stolen bases, and certainly a wild pitch or two can affect (inherited runners) as well. But this spring, he has been really efficient.”
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