The Pittsburgh Pirates are beefing up their bullpen for the stretch run.
The Pirates are acquiring right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees for two prospects, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Saturday.
The Yankees will receive Pirates' No. 17 prospect, catcher Omar Alfonzo and 18-year-old outfielder Luis Cruz in return, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
Formerly the San Francisco Giants' closer for three-and-a-half seasons, Doval was traded to the Yankees at last season's deadline and hasn't been able to find the same success in the Bronx.
The 29-year-old right-hander has pitched to a 4.63 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, with 61 strikeouts and 29 walks over 58.1 innings in his time with the Yankees.
Doval was significantly more effective with the Giants, logging a 3.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, adding 107 saves, including a National League-leading 39 in 2023 that earned him an all-star selection.
However, despite his mediocre results recently, Doval still boasts an elite 98.6 m.p.h. average fastball velocity that ranks among the game's top arms, making him a valuable addition to the Pirates' relief corps as they push for their first post-season berth since 2015.
Pittsburgh's bullpen has been an issue all season. The club has blown 20 saves this season, perhaps the biggest reason the Pirates entered Saturday at 55-56 despite scoring the second-most runs in the majors. The latest setback came on Friday night, when a two-run lead in the eighth inning in Cincinnati morphed into an 8-7 loss.
Pittsburgh is hoping a new setting provides a fresh start. The Pirates could also use the help. The club designated former closer Dennis Santana for assignment last month and have few viable right-handed options near the back end of the bullpen.
— With files from The Associated Press
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