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SF Giants closer Camilo Doval named National League reliever of the month

Right-handed pitcher Camilo Doval was named the National League reliever of the month for September. The SF Giants closer received the same award last year.

Marc Delucchi

SF Giants closer Camilo Doval named National League reliever of the month
SF Giants closer Camilo Doval named National League reliever of the month /
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The SF Giants bullpen has been the source of many problems this season. However, right-handed pitcher Camilo Doval has emerged as one of the best closers in Major League Baseball. On Monday, Doval was selected the September National League Reliever of the Month. It is the second time he has won the award, receiving the same honor last September. Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase was selected as the American League Reliever of the Month.

SF Giants closer Camilo Doval throws a pitch against the Cubs. (2022)
John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Doval made 13 appearances in September, recording nine saves and 16 strikeouts over 13 innings pitched with a 1.38 ERA. While Doval allowed two runs, he did not surrender a lead in any of his appearances. Mets closer Edwin Díaz has been dominating the NL Reliever of the Month award this season, but he only made seven appearances in September as the Mets slipped in the standings. Appearing in nearly twice as many games with a comparable level of dominance, voters chose Doval.

He also threw a pitch 104 mph.

While September has easily been Doval's best month of the season, his overall numbers remain excellent. He has appeared in 68 games with the Giants this year, posting a 2.53 ERA in 67.2 innings pitched with 80 strikeouts. Doval has struggled with control at times, issuing 30 walks, but has made up for it by limiting hard contact with his elite pitch arsenal, headlined by a fastball that sits around 100 mph, a high-80s slider with sharp break, and a new high-90s sinker that he discovered in the second half of the season.

In 2021, as a rookie, Doval struggled to solidify himself in the Giants bullpen until September. He bounced between the majors and Triple-A before finally putting it all together. With the Giants in the middle of a tightly-contested divisional race with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Doval was arguably the most dominant reliever in MLB in September. The young fireballer did not allow a run over 13 appearances, striking out 16 while allowing just five hits and three walks over 12.1 innings pitched and was selected the NL Reliever of the Month.

The SF Giants may not find themselves heading back to the postseason this year. However, 25-year-old closer Camilo Doval has proven himself to be one of the best relief pitchers in MLB. His standout performance in September earned him the second National League Reliever of the Month award in his young career.

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Marc Delucchi
MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).

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