Camilo Doval was brought in by the Yankees as a former closer capable of securing valuable outs in a significant setup role.
But the key trade-deadline pickup has struggled mightily since his acquisition from the Giants on July 31, with his latest poor outing coming in Thursday’s sloppy 6-3 loss to the Red Sox at the Stadium.
Entrusted with a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning, Doval recorded only one out and gave up the tying run on two hits sandwiched around a walk.
It marked the third straight appearance in which he has been scored upon, his fourth in five and his fifth in nine games overall since his arrival in The Bronx.
“His stuff’s really good, obviously, just again it’s strike-throwing. That next level of strike-throwing that allows you to be really, really good, and really, really sharp out there,” Aaron Boone said. “Just not quite as sharp as when he’s at his best.”
The Yankees acquired the 28-year-old Doval from the Giants for four minor league prospects: pitchers Trystan Vrieling and Carlos de la Rosa, catcher Jesús Rodríguez and infielder Parks Harber.
They also picked up David Bednar from the Pirates that day to fortify their bullpen.
He blew a save in the ninth inning Wednesday night in Tampa, although the Yankees pulled out the win in 10 innings.
Boone has been using Bednar to close games recently in place of displaced Devin Williams, and the two-time All-Star has recorded three saves with the Yankees.
Before Wednesday, Bednar had posted six consecutive scoreless appearances since allowing two runs in a blown save in his team debut on Aug. 1 against the Marlins.
Doval also pitched in the game, giving up three runs (one earned) to contribute to the Yankees flushing a 6-0 lead and losing, 13-12.
Doval, who posted 107 saves over five seasons with San Francisco, arrived with a 3.09 ERA in 47 relief appearances this season for the Giants.
But he has been charged with six earned runs in 7 ¹/₃ innings over nine games with the Yankees for a 7.36 ERA with seven walks and eight strikeouts.
“Just adjusting to the role here now,” Doval said through an interpreter. “Just getting ready earlier, preparing myself earlier to go into the game.
“At the end of the day, I want to give 100 percent out there on the field. Sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Doval retired the first batter he faced in the sixth in relief of Yankees starter Luis Gil before David Hamilton reached on an infield single.
Doval then walked No. 9 hitter Carlos Narváez before surrendering a game-tying single to center by Roman Anthony.
“Just being aggressive, attacking the zone, they got a couple of hits, and that’s part of the game,” Doval said. “You execute a pitch, and that’s part of it.”
Boone replaced Doval with Mark Leiter Jr., who retired the next two batters to strand two runners, but the Red Sox went ahead 4-3 with a run against Luke Weaver in the seventh.
Boston scored two unearned runs against Yerry De los Santos in the ninth on a home run by Anthony after Paul Goldschmidt committed the Yankees’ fourth error of the game.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
