Giants bring back reliever Camilo Doval, who has a chance to make history

The way the San Francisco Giants are going this year, there's no surprise when they add a new player to the ever-changing roster, but Thursday's move was a fun one.

Back with the team: reliever Camilo Doval , claimed on waivers from the Pirates. If the former All-Star closer gets into one of the team's final three games as the 71st player used, the Giants would tie the all-time big-league record.

San Francisco traded Doval, 29, to the Yankees last year for utility player Jesús Rodríguez, right-hander Trystan Vrieling , third baseman Parks Harber and left hander Carlos De La Rosa, and New York dealt Doval to the Pirates for two minor-leaguers Aug. 1.

Doval had a 3.79 ERA in 19 innings over 20 appearances with the Pirates and opponents hit .271 off him; he put up a 4.54 ERA in 44 outings with the Yankees this year. His main problem has come against left-handed hitters, who are batting .322 against him.

Doval spent his first four-plus seasons with San Francisco, earning 39 saves in 2023 and striking out 87 batters in 67⅔ innings. He's had only six save opportunities this season and saved one. He's arbitration-eligible, so the Giants could elect to keep him if they felt he might be a fit in the bullpen next year.

Doval is not the only possible player to add to the team's ongoing franchise record for most players used in a season: Catcher Zach Morgan is on the taxi squad and manager Tony Vitello would like to get him onto the roster and into a game before the end of the season. If both are used, San Francisco would hold the players-used record alone; Atlanta used 71 players in 2025.

"There's been a lot," Vitello said. "I don't think you're going to play a major-league season where there's not a lot. Everybody's story is a little bit different, but I think it's fair to say ours has been unique in a lot of different ways. That's a crazy scenario."

He added, tongue in cheek, "I guess you know, being first year in the organization, you'd like to get to meet everybody, so this is one way to do it."

Infielder Osleivis Basabe potentially could move to the IL with a leg injury and outfielder Bo Davidson left Wednesday's game after fouling a ball off the same area of his leg that cost him a week-plus of activity earlier this month, so there could be a Morgan sighting this weekend.

"Come hell or high water, I'd like to get him on that field and give him an opportunity to do something," Vitello said of Morgan, who's been up as an emergency option but never used. "We're kind of looking at scenarios and he did some fun things this year, swinging the bat and all the guys trust him behind the plate. If he is active, we'll get him on that field."

To make room for Doval on the 40-man roster, the Giants moved Blade Tidwell , diagnosed with a high-grade UCL sprain Tuesday, to the 60-day IL. San Francisco has a whopping 17 men on the 60-day IL, all of whom must be placed back on the 40-man roster after the season if the team plans to hold onto them - another reason to get a quick look at Doval and see if he might be in the 2027 plans.

Reliever Philip Abner , designated for assignment earlier in the week, was claimed by the Mets on Wednesday.