Camilo Doval DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Camilo Doval earned his second save of the season on Wednesday in Houston. He closed out the Giants' 6-3 win with a perfect ninth inning that required only 10 pitches. The 27-year-old righty has yet to allow a baserunner in his three appearances this season and has two saves, matching Ryan Walker for the team lead. Walker is typically the primary closer but has been unavailable the last two games due to back pain, and Doval has stepped in effectively. When Walker is available, he is expected to resume his role at the back end of the bullpen, but Doval has been very effective and is a strong backup option for the Giants. It looks like he would be the next man up if Walker ends up needing a trip to the injured list. The Giants are off on Thursday before opening a six-game homestand against the Mariners and Reds.

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Camilo Doval was asked to take the ball with a three-run lead during Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Normally, Ryan Walker (back) would be used in this spot, but he was unavailable for this game. Doval made easy work of the Reds as he tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Doval used to be the primary closer in San Francisco, but now Walker has taken over that role. Doval will likely see occasional save chances, but it sounds like Walker will be available on Monday. That being said, Doval isn't worth adding in most fantasy formats with Walker around.

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Camilo Doval is generating interest in the trade market, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Slusser said, "The talent remains undeniable, and a few teams would consider him for a closer role." Doval entered the 2024 campaign as the bona fide ninth-inning option in the Bay Area but eventually ceded those duties to Ryan Walker later in the season after blowing five saves and holding a 4.70 ERA through the start of August. This past summer, Walker posted a stellar 1.91 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. In 2023, Doval held a strong 2.93 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP with 39 saves across 67 2/3 innings of work. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor this situation during the offseason, as Walker may open the campaign as the top option for saves.