The New York Yankees traded 29-year-old righty Camilo Doval to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a pair of minor leaguers in catcher Omar Alfonzo and outfielder Luis Cruz, the teams announced Saturday. 

Pittsburgh, thirsty for bullpen help in their push to end an 11-year postseason drought had already acquired righty Ron Marinaccio from the San Diego Padres last week. 

Doval, an all-star closer for the San Francisco Giants in 2023, features a cutter that touches 101 mph, a sinker that sits at 98 mph, and a wicked slider that did not provide consistent results. 

The Yankees bullpen entered Saturday ranked 1st in the majors in ERA and 7th in WPA. As they looked to further upgrade the group, Doval became expendable and an attractive option for clubs. 

“Hopefully, it’s something that’s good for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said to ESPN of trading Doval. “I think he’s in a pretty good spot right now.” 

Doval, who is making $6.1 million this season and is under club control until 2027, arrives with the potential to reach the level he displayed over his first three big league seasons with the Giants. 

The Pirates are betting on unearthing the first version for their first playoff appearance since 2015.