The New York Yankees just can’t seem to put together any momentum. After snapping an ugly losing streak, they turned around and laid an egg against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, losing 11-4 at home. That puts them at 49-39 on the season, which is fine but not exactly what anyone imagined when this year started.
Camilo Doval took the ball for the ninth inning and it didn’t go great. Three hits allowed in one inning of work. Not catastrophic, but it’s part of a larger pattern for a guy who hasn’t looked like himself since coming over from San Francisco.
Here’s the thing though, Aaron Boone isn’t backing down. When asked after the game if he still believes Doval can become a high-leverage reliever for this team, Boone went all in.
“Yes,” Boone said. “And the reason I think so is because physically, all the attributes are there and the stuff is all there. (They) are in line with who he was when he was at his very best. We’re not talking about an older player who’s lost a little bit and is trying to reinvent himself. Yeah, that’s the challenge and trying to get him unlocked and more consistent.”
The stuff is still there, the results aren’t
Boone’s not wrong about the physical tools. Doval turned 29 on Saturday, which is basically nothing for a reliever. He was an All-Star in 2023 with the Giants. The fastball still has that ridiculous late life. The slider still bites hard when it’s on. This isn’t a guy whose arm is falling apart.
But something’s off. Doval got traded to New York around this time last season and he just hasn’t clicked in pinstripes. Maybe it’s the market. Maybe it’s mechanics. Maybe it’s just one of those stretches that looks worse because every mistake gets magnified when you’re playing for the Yankees.
The numbers back up the concern. His ERA has ballooned. He’s walking too many guys. The command that made him an elite closer in San Francisco has been inconsistent at best. But Boone keeps running him out there and keeps saying the same thing: the guy is too talented to stay down forever.
Time is still on his side
Here’s the part that actually matters. Doval is young enough that this could just be a blip. Relievers are weird. They go through stretches where they can’t find the zone and then suddenly they’re dominant again for two months. The Yankees didn’t give up much to get him. There’s zero reason to pull the plug right now.
Boone made that clear. He’s not just saying nice things because that’s what managers do. He genuinely believes Doval will figure it out. And based on what that arm has done before, there’s no real reason to doubt it. Not yet anyway.
The Yankees host the Twins on Sunday for the series finale. Doval probably won’t pitch again unless it’s a blowout. But you can bet Boone will have his back when he does.
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