The San Francisco Giants have decided to reinstate Camilo Doval as their closer, following a strong early-season performance, manager Bob Melvin announced after Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. Ryan Walker, who had taken over the closing duties since mid-April, will transition back to a setup role, pitching primarily in the eighth inning during close games.

Ryan Walker’s Recent Performance and Role Adjustment

Ryan Walker displayed promise in his initial appearances, allowing only one run over his first eight games as closer. However, his recent outings have been inconsistent, surrendering multiple runs in four of his last 14 appearances. Despite this, Walker has successfully converted 10 of 12 save opportunities but carries an earned run average (ERA) near 5.00. His strikeout rate has also dropped from over 32% last year to 21.6% this season, reflecting a decrease in dominance.

Camilo Doval’s Dominance in the Early Season

Meanwhile, Doval reclaimed the closer spot after demonstrating impressive control and dominance over the first two months. The hard-throwing right-hander has compiled a 1.16 ERA in 23 1/3 innings, allowing just six runs—three of which were earned—during a brief stretch in early April. Since then, Doval has nearly recorded an 18-inning scoreless streak spanning almost two months, holding opponents to only four hits while striking out 18 batters in that period.

Doval’s Journey Back to Form

The 27-year-old reliever has shown signs of returning to the elite level that earned him an All-Star nod two seasons ago. In 2023, Doval led the National League with 39 saves and maintained sub-3.00 ERAs across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, his performance declined in the latter half of last year due to command issues, which led the Giants to remove him from the closer role and demote him to Triple-A in August. Although he returned to the major league roster in September, his struggles continued in less critical situations.

Giants’ Confidence in Doval and Future Outlook

Despite offseason trade interest in Doval, San Francisco declined to move him, opting instead to keep him as part of their bullpen due to his evident talent. Their decision is paying off with his current resurgence, which could position him for another All-Star appearance this summer. The right-hander is under team control through arbitration for the next two seasons, earning $4.525 million this year as he works to sustain his comeback.