San Francisco Giants Linked to Potential Camilo Doval Replacement in Free Agency

The San Francisco Giants might view Camilo Doval as a player they need to replace in MLB free agency.

Sep 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Camilo Doval (75) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

It was a tough year for the San Francisco Giants. With high hopes entering the campaign, failing to make the postseason was certainly a major disappointment.

The Giants will have a chance to fix some of their issues this winter, and while they have to improve in multiple areas, they have an excellent opportunity to complete that task.

San Francisco struggled throughout the campaign for multiple reasons. Some of their issues were due to injuries, while others were due to players not playing as well as they were expected to.

Camilo Doval was at the top of that list. Doval was once regarded as one of the better relief pitchers in baseball but struggled mightily, resulting in him being sent to Triple-A for a short-stint.

It's uncertain if the team views him as someone they need to replace, but there will be options for them to do so.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic linked them to a potential replacement, naming them a suitor for Jeff Hoffman.

"Jeff Hoffman had the best year of his career, making the All-Star team and tallying a 2.17 ERA and 0.965 WHIP in 68 games. He struck out 89 in 66 1/3 innings (12.1 strikeouts per nine). However, he fared poorly in this postseason, allowing six runs in 1 1/3 innings over three games. The Phillies are unlikely to bring back both Hoffman and Carlos Estévez."

Hoffman is an interesting player to watch for this winter. His numbers would suggest he'll get paid like one of the top relievers on the market, but there are reasons to suggest that he won't.

He was excellent for much of the year but struggled in the second half and had a brutal postseason.

Bowden's contract prediction was for three years and $27 million, a price the front office should be comfortable spending.

The Giants understand how important it is to have an above-average bullpen, so expect them to at least add an arm or two. Even if that player isn't there to replace Doval, it'd still be a wise decision to improve.

Doval's struggles don't make this winter any easier, but it's also fair to point out that pitchers struggle randomly. He still has electric stuff, and if he comes back in 2025 like the All-Star caliber arm he is, no one should be surprised.

Adding Hoffman, and Doval returning to form, would make San Francisco's bullpen dangerous.