Yankees' bullpen falters again as Camilo Doval struggles in 11-1 loss to Tigers
Deadline addition Doval gives up three runs as New York's relief corps suffers a second straight meltdown; David Bednar remains the lone reliable piece
Camilo Doval continued to struggle in pinstripes Wednesday, allowing three runs in the eighth inning as the New York Yankees' bullpen unraveled in an 11-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sept. 10.
The runs pushed Doval’s ERA to 6.59 since the trade that sent him to the Yankees at the deadline. The right-hander has yielded at least one run in nine of his 16 appearances for New York and had not surrendered three earned runs in a game since June 25, when he was still with the San Francisco Giants.
Spencer Torkelson opened the eighth with a single, and Riley Greene followed with a 409-foot home run off Doval that extended Detroit’s lead to 5-0. Two batters later, Dillon Dingler hit a double on Doval’s slider and advanced to third on a Cody Bellinger error. Doval was removed after the double, but Dingler scored later in the inning on Parker Meadows’ hit off Tim Hill.
Manager Aaron Boone said Doval has shown the potential to miss bats but has been inconsistent. "You see he flashes it. He’ll flash that swing-and-miss with the slider," Boone said. "Obviously it’s a big arm with the cutter and the sinker. The strike-throwing hasn’t been great and that’s hurt him in some outings. Making sure we’re staying on top, controlling the running game and things like that. So it’s just been kinda inconsistent for him."
Catcher Austin Wells defended Doval’s upside after the loss, saying the battery is becoming more comfortable working together. "I think that he’s been solid and I think that he’s getting better, honestly," Wells said. "I think we’re getting more comfortable working together. We got him for a reason. He’s gonna go out there and get big outs for us. I think he’s getting better every time." Doval did not speak to reporters after the game.
General manager Brian Cashman added a trio of relievers at the trade deadline to bolster the bullpen, and of that group David Bednar has emerged as the club’s most dependable arm, taking over the closer role. Jake Bird, another deadline acquisition, lasted only three outings with the Yankees before being optioned to the minor leagues.
The Yankees have been serving notice that the relief corps has been a problem area in recent weeks; Wednesday marked a second straight game in which the bullpen’s struggles played a decisive role in a lopsided defeat. New York’s reliance on recently acquired arms and on internal bullpen reinforcements has highlighted the uneven results since the roster moves at the trade deadline.
With the regular season progressing, the club’s ability to stabilize late-inning pitching will be a focal point. Bednar’s steadiness has provided some consistency, but the club’s bigger deadline additions must find a rhythm for the Yankees to rely on the bullpen in high-leverage situations.
