Reinforcements arrive for Giants’ bullpen

This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado’s Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SAN FRANCISCO -- A slew of injuries forced the Giants to go younger than expected in the bullpen early this season, but the group finally got back to full strength this week.

In recent days, the Giants have reinstated Luke Jackson and Sean Hjelle from the injured list and added newly acquired right-hander Mitch White to the mix, with rookie relievers Kai-Wei Teng and Nick Avila being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento as corresponding moves. (No. 11 prospect Landen Roupp was also briefly sent down on Tuesday, but he ended up being recalled after Blake Snell landed on the 15-day injured list with a left adductor strain on Wednesday.)

Teng and Avila impressed at times during their first stints in the Majors, but the Giants are hoping the arrival of more established arms will help stabilize their spotty bullpen, which entered Wednesday with a 5.51 ERA, the second-highest mark in the Majors behind the Phillies (5.59 ERA).

“I don’t mind having some younger guys, too, and it’s good for them, experience-wise,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Especially guys in your system that you’re trying to push a little bit and move a little bit quicker based on need. But it’s always nice to have experienced arms in the bullpen. Getting Luke back is big for us, and White, as well. He’s got some experience, too.”

White -- a San Jose, Calif., native who attended Bellarmine College Preparatory and Santa Clara University -- will have a chance to suit up for his hometown team after being acquired from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations Saturday.

White was designated for assignment April 16 after recording a 5.40 ERA over his first four relief appearances for Toronto this year, but the 29-year-old has a 4.99 ERA in 62 career Major League appearances between the Blue Jays and Dodgers, who drafted him in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi worked in Los Angeles’ front office when White was drafted, a connection that ultimately helped White escape DFA limbo and land back in the Bay Area.

“It couldn’t have worked out better,” White said Tuesday.

White said he still remembers sneaking away from class in high school and taking Caltrain up to San Francisco to attend the Giants’ three championship parades in 2010, ‘12 and ‘14. He’ll wear Sergio Romo’s No. 54, though he cited Matt Cain as his favorite Giants player growing up.

“He was one of those guys that would just come at you with everything,” White said. “He wouldn’t walk guys. He punched when he needed to. He was just a true horse pitcher. … That’s what I want to try to emulate.”

Melvin said White should be available to provide multiple innings out of the bullpen once he gets fully up to speed with the Giants.

“He hasn’t pitched in a little bit here, but typically he can bring us some length,” Melvin said. “He’s been stretched out before he got here -- three or four innings or something like that -- so that’s probably the role he’s in right now. We’ll see what kind of shape he’s in after he throws [Tuesday]. We’ll see where we go with it.”