Cardinals pick up Garcia's option for 2016, decline Broxton
The St. Louis Cardinals announced Monday that they have exercised their 2016 club option on left-handed pitcher Jaime Garcia,and declined their 2016 club option on right-hander Jonathan Broxton. The team also announced that infielder Pete Kozma and catchers Ed Easley and Travis Tartamella have been outrighted off the team's 40-man roster.
Garcia, 29, was 10-6 with a 2.43 ERA in his 20 starts in 2015, going 7-2 from August 1 until season's end. The Cardinals were 10-2 in his 12 games started during that span.
Garcia has posted a 52-32 career mark with a 3.31 ERA in 126 career games pitched and his 3.25 ERA since 2010, when he finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting, is seventh best amongst all major league lefties.
Broxton, 31, was 3-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 26 games pitched for the Cardinals following his acquisition on July 31 in a trade with Milwaukee.
Kozma, 27, appeared in 76 games for the Cardinals this past season while Easley, 29, and Tartamella, 27, both made their major league debuts during the 2015 campaign.
