Doval gets save in return to closer role with mom in stands for 1st time

Friday night at Miami’s loanDepot park was special for Camilo Doval.

The 27-year-old Doval was back in the closer role, a title he held with the Giants from 2022-23 when he saved 66 games with a 2.73 ERA. Doval was nails, locking down the save and retiring four of the five batters he faced.

That likely paled in comparison to the fact that his mom was in attendance, the first time she’d watched Doval pitch in the big leagues.

“I’m very proud of it. It was something that I dreamed about, to have my mother come to the United States and see me pitch in a big league game,” Doval told NBC Sports Bay Area through a team translator. “That’s very important for me, and I’m just very happy.”

Doval, a native of Yamasa, Dominican Republic, is in his fifth MLB season, all with the Giants. The right-hander has a 1.09 ERA in his first 26 outings of the season.