Giants notes: Why Melvin is encouraged by Doval’s minor-league outing

SAN FRANCISCO — Camilo Doval’s first few minutes back in Triple-A couldn’t have gone much better. 

Doval, optioned by the Giants last week, was a pitch away from an immaculate inning on Sunday night in Albuquerque, but an 0-2 cutter to Colorado Rockies minor leaguer Greg Jones was just above the zone. Three ensuing sliders missed, and from there, the wheels came off a bit. The next batter hit a slider into the gap for an RBI triple and a single put a second run on Doval’s line. 

In his first minor league appearance since 2021, Doval gave up two runs on two hits, a walk and two stolen bases, but manager Bob Melvin came away encouraged after watching clips from the outing. He noted Monday that Doval was a pitch away from striking out the side, and he was doing a better job with the little things, a point of emphasis when he was surprisingly optioned last Friday. 

“I know he gave up some stolen bases but it looked like his times were much better,” Melvin said. “I sent him a message today. It looked a lot cleaner, it looked like he’s doing exactly what we asked him to do. Unfortunately, Albuquerque is not the greatest place to pitch either as far as spin and all of that stuff goes, but he wasn’t going through the motions. It looked like he was going after it pretty hard.”

Doval threw 25 pitches and 18 of them were strikes. His cutter averaged triple-digits, but stuff never has been the issue with the 27-year-old. The Giants want him to work on his command and do a better job controlling the running game.

On The Way Back

Doval will be joined on Tuesday by a few familiar faces. Second baseman Thairo Estrada (left wrist sprain) and left-hander Tyler Matzek (left flexor muscle strain) will begin rehab assignments with the River Cats, who will spend the next week at home. 

Estrada hasn’t played since July 25. This is his second IL stint this year, and there will be a more extended ramp-up this time. Estrada was 3-for-34 in 10 appearances after returning in early July.

“We really want to make sure that he doesn’t come back with some issues again because he’s having to play around that all year this year,” Melvin said of the wrist. “He’s a tough guy. He’ll go out there and play and he won’t say anything and then it gets to a point where it’s not helping. We want to make sure it’s as close to 100 percent as we can.”

Matzek missed all of last season with Tommy John surgery and struggled earlier this season in Atlanta before going back on the IL in early May. The Giants are hopeful the lefty, picked up in the Jorge Soler trade, can contribute to their bullpen in September. 

Don’t Forget About Him

Tristan Beck will start Tuesday’s game in Sacramento and is scheduled to pitch three innings. It’ll be the second rehab appearance for the right-hander, who had surgery on an arm aneurysm this spring and has missed the entire season.

Beck gave up four hits and struck out four while throwing three innings last week for the River Cats. Given that he’s being stretched out, it’s possible he ends up becoming the next line of defense for the rotation if someone goes down in September.

Fellow right-hander Landen Roupp had been that guy, although he was called up to join the bullpen when Doval was optioned.

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