Giants claim Camilo Doval off waivers from Pirates in a reunion with an eye on 2027

What happened

The Giants announced they have claimed right-hander Camilo Doval off waivers from the Pirates, reuniting the reliever with the organization where he built his reputation. Pittsburgh had designated Doval for assignment earlier this week, and per MLBTR contributor Ethan Hullihen, the Pirates were looking to shed roughly $98K by moving him. San Francisco obliged.

To open a 40-man roster spot for the claim, the Giants transferred right-hander Blade Tidwell to the 60-day injured list. Tidwell had been recommended for UCL surgery earlier this week — a development that effectively ends his 2026 season and, per the report, likely all of 2027 as well.

Why it matters

The Giants are 65-94 and eliminated from both the division race and the Wild Card race, so Doval's arrival carries no October weight. As Darragh McDonald noted for MLB Trade Rumors, San Francisco is playing out the string on a lost season, and any appearances Doval makes before the final out will come in meaningless games.

The real calculus here is the offseason. Doval is earning $6.1MM this season and is arbitration-eligible, meaning the Giants can retain him for 2027 without going to free agency. His 4.30 ERA this year won't fuel a dramatic raise, but per McDonald's reporting, he could land somewhere in the range above his current salary. For a bullpen that has posted a collective 4.18 ERA in 2026 and is stocked largely with inexperienced arms, that is a reasonable bet on a known commodity — even one who has struggled recently.

President of baseball operations Buster Posey has acknowledged publicly that the club intends to pursue more concrete bullpen upgrades heading into next year, whether through free agency, trades, or both. Per the report, this claim gets one arm in the door ahead of that process.

The numbers

Doval's peak came during his first stint in San Francisco. From 2021 through 2023, he logged 162 1/3 innings with a 2.77 ERA and a 30.2% strikeout rate — the kind of numbers that made him a legitimate late-inning option. Control issues eventually pushed him to the trade block, and at last year's deadline the Giants sent him to the Yankees, receiving prospects Jesús Rodríguez, Trystan Vrieling, Parks Harber, and Carlos De La Rosa in return.

A difficult year in New York led to another trade, this time to Pittsburgh. The Pirates' decision to designate him for assignment this week, per Hullihen, was a cost-trimming move as they fell out of contention — not a verdict on his long-term value.

The Giants' collective bullpen ERA of 4.18 this season provides the backdrop. Sam Hentges and Jason Foley are the only relievers currently in the mix with at least three years of service time, and both are returning from notable injury absences, per the report.

Where the club stands

San Francisco sits at 65-94 (.409), fourth in the NL West and 32 games back in the division. The Giants close out their home schedule this weekend hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park, with Yunior Marte lined up against Tarik Skubal on Friday and Matt Wilkinson opposing Blake Snell on Saturday.

What we don't know yet

Whether the Giants intend to tender Doval a contract for 2027 or explore trading him this offseason remains unconfirmed. MLB Trade Rumors frames both as plausible motivations for the claim, but no decision has been announced. It is also unclear what role, if any, Doval will play in the final days of the regular season.

On the Tidwell front, while UCL surgery has been recommended, no procedure date or formal timetable beyond the 2026 and likely 2027 projection has been reported.

What to watch

The arbitration deadline this winter will be the first real signal of the Giants' intentions with Doval. If they tender him a contract, the reunion looks like a genuine 2027 roster building block. If they non-tender or move him, the waiver claim reads more as a low-cost asset flip. Posey's stated commitment to bullpen improvement means the answer to that question will carry weight for how San Francisco constructs its relief corps heading into next season.