The New York Yankees rolled the dice at the trade deadline, acquiring three new bullpen arms to stabilize a volatile unit.
So far, two of those bets have completely backfired, with Camilo Doval’s decline becoming the most glaring disappointment of all.
Jake Bird already out of the picture
Jake Bird was the first domino to fall, optioned to Triple-A after failing to make any meaningful impact.
His struggles were immediate, and the Yankees wasted no time pulling the plug on a move that already felt questionable.
Still, Bird’s removal was easier to stomach, considering his role was never supposed to be heavily high-leverage anyway.
The real problem lies with Doval, a reliever who was expected to anchor the bullpen in key situations.
Camilo Doval’s stunning collapse
Since being acquired from San Francisco, Camilo Doval has looked like a shell of the pitcher who once dominated hitters.
In just 13.2 innings with New York, he’s sporting a 6.59 ERA, far removed from his 3.09 ERA with the Giants.
The regression is startling — strikeouts are down, walks are up, and home runs allowed have nearly tripled in frequency.
High-leverage arms can’t afford those cracks, yet Doval continues to compound mistakes, often turning tight games into disasters.
Recent outings highlight the concern
Wednesday against Detroit, Doval allowed three earned runs, adding to a brutal stretch where he’s surrendered four in two games.
Every outing feels like a roll of the dice, with the Yankees hoping his raw talent finally overrides his glaring inconsistency.
But hope doesn’t win games in October, and right now Doval looks more like a liability than a trusted option.
Underlying metrics versus reality
The most frustrating part for the Yankees is that Doval’s advanced numbers still paint him as an above-average pitcher.
He ranks highly in whiff rate and chase percentage, indicators that his stuff is still elite when executed properly.
Yet his control problems tell the real story — too many walks, too many baserunners, and too many high-stress innings.
That combination is unsustainable for a team chasing a division title and preparing for the chaos of postseason baseball.
The Yankees’ difficult dilemma
At this point, the Yankees don’t have the bullpen depth to remove Doval from high-leverage situations entirely.
They’re essentially forced to keep sending him out there, hoping repetition eventually helps him rediscover his previous rhythm.
With team control until 2028, Doval isn’t going anywhere soon, but patience will wear thin if the struggles continue.
The Yankees built their postseason hopes around pitching depth, yet Doval’s collapse threatens to undermine everything they’ve worked for.