With just over 48 hours until the trade deadline, the MLB trade deadline is hot. Rumors are flying, and it’s shaping up to be a chaotic next couple of days. We have finally seen one of these rumors come to fruition, as the New York Yankees agree to send reliever Camilo Doval to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees received prospects Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz in return. It is a strange trade at first glance because everyone thought the Pirates were sellers and the Yankees were buyers. So why did these two teams decide to make this deal?
Making Sense of the Camilo Doval Trade
The Pirates Perspective
The Pirates hope that a change of scenery will help Doval turn it around. So far this season, he has struggled, pitching to a 4.54 ERA in 39 2/3 innings with 39 strikeouts to 18 walks, a 1.412 WHIP and an ERA+ of 92. But just a couple of years ago he pitched an ERA under two. The Pirates need to figure out what’s wrong with Doval’s cutter, as it has been his worst pitch this season. It has a .344 batting average against this season, the highest of his four pitches. If they can straighten that out, they will have a pitcher who can throw over 100 mph in the back end of their bullpen. Not just for this season but through next season as well. It’s a low-risk, high-reward move.
But this move signals that the Pirates are ready to go all in. There were some questions about whether they would decide to be sellers due to their recent struggles and injuries. But Ben Cherington wants to take advantage of this team only being 2.5 games out of the last wild card spot. But if they truly want to make a push, this can not be their final move. They will need to add at least one more high-leverage reliever to that bullpen. They also need to add another bat to this lineup. Preferably someone that can play the outfield, but they need to find a way to replace Ryan O’Hearn and Oneil Cruz’s bat.
The Yankees Perspective
This move is more of an addition by subtraction. As mentioned before, Doval has struggled in the Bronx this season. So much so that he was basically used in low-leverage situations only. It was clear Doval was the kind of player who was unable to handle the bright lights of New York. So getting rid of him alone makes the bullpen better. At the very least, they can call someone up from the minors who will be better than Doval. But most likely, this spot in the bullpen will be filled by a trade acquisition. If the Yankees want to take advantage of a weak American League, they need to come away with a high-leverage reliever.
They received two prospects they can flip for a reliever or keep as development projects. Aflonzo is the big get of this deal. He was the 17th overall prospect in the Pirates system according to MLB Pipeline. He has been praised for his power and ability to generate high exit velocity. If he can get a little more consistency, his stock will skyrocket. Cruz is not ranked but is an 18-year-old with a high ceiling. He is coming off a great stint in the DSL, where he was praised as one of the best contact hitters at that level. He also could gain more athleticism as he ages and matures. A solid return for an overall negative.
