St. Louis Cardinals v San Francisco Giants / Eakin Howard/GettyImages

The New York Yankees have made a meal out of saving high-strikeout arms who’ve hit a wall — either with control, quality of contact, or both — during the Matt Blake Era. As it turns out, another former All-Star might be hitting the market at the perfect time, kickstarting an offseason the Yankees plan to spend searching for swing-and-miss to add to their bullpen.

Obviously, Juan Soto is Plan A and casts a significant cloud over the rest of the work the Yankees have to do … but hopefully it was obvious to anyone watching the end of 2024 that Soto does not represent a be all, end all to their upgrading. Soto returning would be joyous, but they’d still lack a first baseman, a second baseman, a left fielder, a bench with purpose, the end of a reliable playoff rotation, and a bullpen that can erase the opposition by breathing fire.

The Dodgers rolled out endless 100 MPH hurlers with sink in the late innings. The Yankees? They worked Tommy Kahnle, Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver to the bone. None of those three men are prototypical rock-and-fire bullpen aces. Two of those three are gone.

The Yankees’ years-long obsession with harnessing Jonathan Loaisiga likely came to an end last April when he succumbed to injury, too, and that means that none of their old reliable options can be counted on to backfill what they’re about to lose. So … would it surprise anyone if the Yankees were the leading team chasing after demoted San Francisco Giants closer Camilo Doval, who SF insider Susan Slusser recently revealed is already being pursued?

Yankees Rumors: Camilo Doval represents perfect bounce-back candidate

The 27-year-old Doval’s arbitration costs are only beginning to arrive, and he’s just one season removed from the year he arrived in earnest, whiffing 87 and walking just 26 in 67 2/3 innings while being named to the All-Star team. Last year, the Ks stayed constant (78 in 59 frames), but the walks and ERA skyrocketed (39, 4.88). He lost his closer role sometime after he was victimized by Soto himself during the Yankees’ June West Coast swing.

Doval’s Savant page is perfectly set up for Blake’s brand of detective work. The numbers below the hood showed elite velocity, ridiculous whiff-inducing ability, and an expected batting average that rivals the league’s top closers. Unfortunately, his command evaporated, leaving him walk-prone and oddly hittable when he actually managed to find the zone.

Someone with a well-built pitching program will be able to snag a steal in Doval this offseason. The Yankees should go above and beyond to make sure it’s them, given the financial costs associated with all of their other needs.