The Yankees watched their bullpen depth take a hit this offseason when the free-spending New York Mets poached two key arms. Not only did the Mets land elite closer Devin Williams, but they also signed former Yankee setup man Luke Weaver to a two-year, $22 million deal.
While losing Weaver—who was excellent pre-All-Star break before a pitch-tipping scandal derailed his playoffs—stings, General Manager Brian Cashman may have quietly upgraded the position by acquiring Camilo Doval.
On Thursday, the Yankees officially locked in that potential upgrade, signing Doval to a one-year, $6.1 million contract to avoid arbitration. Doval, formerly of the San Francisco Giants, arrived in the Bronx at the trade deadline with a “closer” pedigree and a pitch mix that is arguably more electric than Weaver’s ever was.
While he is slated to set up for David Bednar in 2026, the underlying metrics suggest the Yankees haven’t just found a bridge to the ninth inning; they’ve acquired a weapon with elite upside who just needs a little refinement.
High Octane “Stuff” That Weaver couldn’t Match
Weaver relied on deception and a changeup to succeed; Doval relies on overwhelming power and movement. According to 2025 data, Doval’s arsenal is built to bully hitters, a distinct shift in philosophy for the Yankees’ setup role.
His primary weapon is a Cutter that averaged a blistering 98.2 MPH last season. It’s a pitch that acts like a fastball but bores in on lefties and away from righties, holding hitters to a .236 average. He pairs that with a Slider that generated a massive 41.1% Whiff Rate and held opponents to a .200 batting average.
When you combine a 98 MPH cutter with a wipeout slider, you get a pitcher who misses bats at an elite clip. Doval ranked in the 74th percentile for Whiff% (28.4%) and the 85th percentile for Fastball Velocity.
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The Yankee Stadium Fit: Ground Balls Galore
One of the biggest risks with relief pitchers in the Bronx is the short porch in right field. Fly ball pitchers can get punished heavily (as Weaver found out occasionally). Doval, however, is a ground ball machine.
He ranked in the 91st percentile for Ground Ball Rate (53.6%) last season. His sinker and hard-biting slider naturally keep the ball on the ground, making him the perfect antidote to the home run-happy AL East. While Weaver was prone to giving up the long ball when his command wavered, Doval’s ability to keep the ball in the yard gives the Yankees a significant safety net in high-leverage spots.
The Matt Blake Project: Fixing the Control
If Doval is so good, why was he available via trade? The answer lies in one ugly metric: Walks.
Doval ranked in the 3rd percentile for Walk Rate (12.6%) in 2025, issuing free passes far too often. This lack of command led to a 1.32 WHIP, which is higher than you’d want for a setup man.
However, this is exactly the type of flaw pitching coach Matt Blake specializes in fixing. The Yankees have a long track record of taking arms with elite raw stuff (Clay Holmes, Ian Hamilton) and refining their zone control.
If Blake can help Doval harness his 98 MPH cutter and get his walk rate back to league average, the Yankees won’t just have a replacement for Luke Weaver—they will have a second legitimate closer sharing the backend with David Bednar, all for the reasonable price of $6.1 million. The Mets spent big on the finished product; the Yankees bought the upside, and it might just pay off bigger.