Camilo Doval might end up being the closer for the Giants in the postseason, but he's not going to sneak up on anybody.
Doval on Monday was named the National League Reliever of the Month for September/October after throwing 14 1/3 scoreless innings after being recalled Sept. 5. Doval struck out 20 and walked just three in those appearances, and by the end of the year he was serving as Gabe Kapler's closer.
Doval, 24, is the second Giants reliever to win the monthly award, with the other being Jake McGee, the other option to close games in October. McGee returned to the active roster on Saturday but did not pitch in either of the final two games. Kapler has not named a closer for the playoffs and is highly unlikely to do so.
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McGee and Tyler Rogers handled the ninth most of the season, but Doval was a revelation upon returning from Triple-A. He was inconsistent with his command earlier in the year but he finished his rookie season with 10 straight appearances without a walk. With a fastball that gets up to 102 mph and a hard slider, Doval could be one of the more impactful relievers in the postseason, and Kapler wasn't afraid to throw him in big spots down the stretch.
Doval recorded his first career save on Tuesday and added two more as the Giants won five of six on the homestand to clinch the NL West. He appeared four times over the final week, allowing three hits and striking out seven.
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