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SCOTTSDALE — The drawbacks were there, which is to say the command was not always there.
But in his first game action of the spring, Camilo Doval put on a clinic in demonstrating what the Giants like so much about him.
The whippy righty, who was added to the 40-man roster this offseason to shield him from the Rule 5 draft, touched 97 mph with his fastball, including a reach-back to put away Los Angeles’ Devin Mann to finish his inning.
Camilo Doval ?#SFGSpring pic.twitter.com/QPFsD7VMzf
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) March 3, 2021
His slider, though, was as advertised. The second pitch the 23-year-old threw was a bender that Omar Estevez waved at, his bat passing choppily through the zone. The velocity and movement were obvious, as was the wildness that resulted in an Andy Pages walk.
Apart from that at-bat, his manager liked what he saw.
“We’re always looking for him to come out and attack the strike zone,” Kapler said after the 1-1, seven-inning tie with the Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday night. “Thought he did a really nice job of that, around that walk.”
He pitched around it, inducing a flyball before sitting Mann down.
The Giants have reference Doval as a potential future closer, despite his not having thrown above High-A. He was included at the alternate site last year and made the taxi squad by the end of the season. Because of his options, it’s unlikely he breaks camp with the Giants, but there’s a good chance he pitches at Oracle Park this season.
The Giants, who might want to consider the Premier League, are now 0-1-2. They took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a Logan Wyatt sacrifice that nearly was a Logan Wyatt single. LA’s James Outman made the catch — his defense in center impressed throughout — then he doubled in the tying run in the seventh.
Giants pitchers allowed four hits and five walks while striking out nine. There’s plenty of potential and plenty to harness in their bullpen. Wandy Peralta, Sam Selman and Wandy Peralta all struck out two.
Donovan Solano was scratched from the lineup with flu-like symptoms.
“Brought him to the ballpark today to get him tested, and we’ll see how that goes,” Kapler said over Zoom.
Buster Posey also was scratched from the original lineup, but the manager said they wanted to give him a third straight day off.
Kapler did not have an update on Brandon Belt, who continues to be out with a non-Covid illness, the Giants have said.
The Giants don’t play Wednesday. Kapler said there wouldn’t be sim games or the like and most of the club will be treating it like an off-day.