With just a few hours remaining until the trade deadline, the Yankees appear to be buyers rather than sellers. That approach makes sense given their needs at catcher, in the bullpen, and in the outfield, as well as injuries to several key players. As of now, they’ve already jumped into action mode and made a move by trading Camilo Doval, who posted a 3.09 ERA with the San Francisco Giants last season.

“The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired minor league catcher Omar Alfonzo and minor league outfielder Luis Cruz from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for right-handed pitcher Camilo Doval and cash considerations,” read the X post from the New York Yankees official account. 

Doval earned his first MLB All-Star selection in 2023, but the years that followed weren’t as impressive. The Pinstripes acquired him from the Giants during last year’s trade deadline, expecting to rejuvenate his old form, but things didn’t go as planned, as the reliever posted a 4.54 ERA for the remainder of the season. He was able to reduce the number of walks (18 in 44 appearances) and had the highest ground-ball rate (57.1%) in 2026. What’s more, Doval gave up a few too many runs in critical situations.

“I think he’s a really good kid that really tried to make adjustments,” manager Aaron Boone said. 

And what Boone said holds true. Doval’s 100-mph cutter and sinker still showed flashes of his All-Star caliber, but he just wasn’t consistent enough. While he recorded four saves, he also blew four others. Right-handed hitters batted just .143 against him with a .478 OPS. While that was incredible, his performance against left-handed hitters was equally concerning, as they posted a .360 batting average and a .999 OPS against him.

This forced the Yankees toward matchup-specific usage, which obviously didn’t bring great results in all instances. To top that, there were other relievers who earned bigger roles, pushing Doval down the bullpen hierarchy. That’s why Boone hoped that Pittsburgh might prove to be a “fresh start for him.” 

Although New York entered the weekend with the league’s lowest bullpen ERA (2.96), they ended up trading away one of the pieces, and this isn’t their last move either. Meanwhile, the Pirates have already DFA’d Hunter Stratton to make room for Camilo Doval.

Having said that, the Pirates now get an opportunity that New York couldn’t fully capitalize on. 

Pittsburgh Pirates take high-upside risk

The Pirates are 55-56, positioned in the middle of the NL Central, and sit just 2.5 games behind the final National League Wild Card spot. According to reports, they were looking to strengthen their bullpen, and given Camilo Doval’s elite metrics, they acquired a worthwhile addition to help their bid to end a 10-year postseason drought.

Plus, the pitcher had only $1.859 million remaining on his one-year, $6.1 million contract. Pittsburgh is only responsible for $750,000, while the Yankees will take care of the rest. As he will remain under team control, Doval’s upside outweighs the cost. 

But that doesn’t mean the Yankees made a bad deal. 

Omar Alfonzo was the Pirates’ No. 17 prospect and managed a .239 batting average along with a .757 OPS in Double-A. Alfonzo also split his time behind the plate and at first base, making his versatility an important asset for the Pinstripes. 

On the other hand, Luis Cruz recorded a .318 AVG and .839 OPS with 7 stolen bases in 16 games. His experience in the Dominican Summer League allowed him to pick up the pace in the minors quickly. 

For now, the trade gives Doval a fresh opportunity while allowing both teams to address their respective needs. Meanwhile, the Yankees (second in the AL East at 62-49) will look to extend their run beyond simply making the postseason.