Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — The Giants’ bullpen is young and at many times this year has looked young.
They were able to add some actual big-league experience to the 28-man roster Sunday.
Jarlin Garcia, an offseason waiver claim from the Marlins who impressed in camp 1.0 then was delayed in joining the team in camp 2.0, was called up before the series finale at Dodger Stadium.
His addition was the most noteworthy, but Abiatal Avelino was designated for assignment to clear 40-man roster space. Andrew Suarez, riding the option roller-coaster, was optioned back to Sacramento to clear 28-man roster space, and the lefty was added to the taxi squad. Also now on the taxi squad: Trevor Cahill, whose fingernail issue has kept him in Sacramento until now.
The 27-year-old Garcia joins a bullpen that now has six southpaws (not including Suarez or Tyler Anderson), armies of lefties to combat the lefty hitters around the NL West. Garcia was excellent in Scottsdale but a medical issue made him a late San Francisco arrival.
Kapler has seen plenty of Garcia the past few years, when one was Phillies manager and the other a Miami pitcher who compiled a 3.02 ERA in 50 2/3 innings last year.
“I can see Jarlin slotting into the Wandy Peralta role. Some leverage, some middle relief and just see how he looks,” Kapler said of Garcia, whom the Giants like against both righties and lefties. “Really good reports from Sacramento.”
On Saturday the Giants’ relief corps of Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers and Trevor Gott was brilliant, but there have been several blowups with a group that is talented but inexperienced.
“Definitely solidifies our bullpen and strengthens the foundation,” Kapler said.
The Giants traded cash for outfield prospect Luis Basabe from the White Sox. Kapler’s thoughts on the 23-year-old:
“I think this is what makes Farhan [Zaidi] and Scott [Harris] so good at what they do. To be able to bring in a guy who slots immediately into our top-prospects list without giving up too much in return. Basabe is tooled out. He’s a guy with arm strength and speed, has a history of performance at the minor league level with the White Sox but then dating back to his time with the Red Sox as well. Switch-hitter, real ceiling.”
In acquiring Basabe, the Giants moved recently acquired pitcher Jordan Humphreys to the Restricted List, an open-ended designation. Kapler said it was family related.
Trevor Cahill, who threw about 40 pitches in a Sacramento sim game Friday, is “squarely in the conversation to make an appearance for us in an upcoming game,” Kapler said over Zoom. It’s possible Cahill could take Jeff Samardzija’s spot in the rotation.
