The New York Yankees were obliterated 11-1 by the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night, and reliever Camilo Doval found himself at the epicenter of fan outrage after a catastrophic seventh-inning implosion. Acquired at the trade deadline to bolster the bullpen, the 28-year-old right-hander instead delivered a performance that had Yankees fans fuming and social media ablaze, branding him as one of the team’s biggest deadline disappointments.
With the Yankees trailing 2-0 in the seventh, Doval entered the game with one out and runners on base. Things quickly unraveled. Gleyber Torres grounded out to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., allowing Parker Meadows to score and Javier Baez to advance to third, pushing the Tigers’ lead to 3-0. With two outs, the stage was set for Doval to limit the damage. Instead, he imploded spectacularly.
Doval surrendered a single to Spencer Torkelson, followed by a crushing two-run homer to Riley Greene that ballooned the Tigers’ lead to 5-0. Another hit followed, and that was it for Doval—yanked after recording just one out, having allowed three hits and two earned runs. His ERA in pinstripes soared above 6.00, turning a winnable game into a humiliating rout. For a team clinging to a 3.5-game deficit in the AL East and a precarious hold on the top AL Wild Card spot at 80-66, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
The fallout on X was swift and merciless. Fans unleashed their frustration, targeting both Doval’s performance and the Yankees’ questionable bullpen management. Angry Mike (@angrymike23) didn’t mince words, posting, “Is Doval the worst Yankees deadline acquisition of all time? #repbx” Michael T Nixon (@VPNiX0N) piled on, lumping Doval with other struggling relievers: “Luke Weaver & Doval & Leiter are unplayable.”
Embed X: https://twitter.com/YankeesParm/status/1965958458081263754
Others, like @MavFalco16, questioned manager Aaron Boone’s decision-making, tweeting, “Just typical Yankees meltdown started by Boone. Leiter instead of Luke. A dumbass Little League ball with two on, and instead of Luke after Leiter, Doval. Does any other team contending do this kind of shit? #RepBx” User JP (@YankeesParm) went even further, relegating Doval to the lowest tier of the Yankees’ bullpen in a scathing assessment of the relief corps.
The Yankees’ bullpen was already a sore spot for fans, and Doval’s meltdown only poured fuel on the fire. With the postseason looming, every game is a must-win, and performances like this have fans doubting whether this bullpen can hold up in October. Doval, once seen as a key trade acquisition, is now the lightning rod for a frustrated fanbase desperate for a reliable relief unit. If the Yankees are to make a deep playoff run, they’ll need to fix this—fast. Because right now, Doval’s struggles are the face of a bullpen that looks far from postseason-ready.