The tradePirates get(s): RHR Camilo Doval
Yankees get(s): C Omar Alfonzo and OF Luis CruzYankees cut bait on a year of underwhelming returnsPirates: B-
Yankees: B-One year and a day after sending four prospects to San Francisco for Doval, the Yankees are moving on. His tenure in the Bronx proved to be a bust. The right-hander posted a 4.63 ERA as a Yankee and never solved the command riddles that made him expendable for the Giants in the first place. He was used sparingly in recent weeks, and rarely in high-leverage moments.So what, exactly, enticed the Pirates? Doval still throws with elite velocity. His 98.8 mph cutter tops the sport’s leaderboard, and only a handful of relievers can generate more heat on a sinker than Doval can at 98.6 mph. He produces tons of groundballs. He’s a reliever, and no one really knows anything when it comes to relievers, so it stands to reason Pittsburgh could fiddle with the knobs on Doval’s delivery and pitch selection to produce better results.If Doval can throw more strikes, he could regain the form that made him an All-Star in 2023. Then again, if he could throw more strikes, he would probably not have been traded twice in 366 days.
Alfonzo, a left-handed-hitting catcher, is the more notable of the two prospects headed to the Yankees. MLB Pipeline rated him the No. 17 prospect in Pittsburgh’s system. He does not hit for average, which may prevent him from profiling as anything more than a backup. Cruz, an 18-year-old outfielder, has not demonstrated much power while playing in the Dominican Summer League.It’s an interesting little deal that may not amount to much. The Yankees are punting on a player who didn’t work out. The Pirates are taking a flier on a talented guy who hasn’t pitched well in a while. — Andy McCulloughPirates take a chance on a reclamation project in DovalPirates: B-
