The trade the Cardinals entered the winter expecting to make didn't take long to pull off, not with the Atlanta Braves collecting starting pitching.
The Cardinals sent lefty Jaime Garcia to Atlanta on Thursday afternoon in exchange for several prospects, including a pitcher. The deal, first reported by ESPN.com, has since been confirmed by The Post-Dispatch.
Garcia, 30, is entering the final year of his contract and will earn $12 million in the coming season. The Cardinals were open to trading the left-hander because of the number of starters they had in place for the coming season.
Lance Lynn is set to return from missing a season due to elbow injury, and the team also intends to have Michael Wacha prepare to start and to stretch out former closer Trevor Rosenthal as a possible starter. Lynn's return alone means the rotation is set with Adam Wainwright, Carlos Martinez, rookie Alex Reyes, Mike Leake, and former All-Star Lynn.
