When the St. Louis Cardinals announced last June that left-hander Jaime Garcia would miss the season’s remainder because of thoracic outlet syndrome, it was widely assumed that the starting pitcher was no longer in the team’s plans.
General manager John Mozeliak criticized Garcia for picking surgery over rehab and informing the media before the team. But if spring training is any indication, Garcia might end up having the final say after all.
Garcia became the first starting pitcher in camp to reach the 80-pitch mark, albeit in a simulated game March 24. He recorded 20 outs, allowing four hits and a walk in doing so. That’s an outing which would play in any league.
“Obviously, with everything that I’ve gone through, there is a little bit of doubt in your mind not knowing how it’s going to be when you test it out going 80 pitches,” Garcia said to cardinals.com. “But I tried to do my best not to think about that.”
Garcia’s progress means the Cardinals might have to back off their plan of having Carlos Martinez open the season as the No. 5 starter. Martinez, has pitched well in the spring, may be back in his familiar role as a late-inning option in the bullpen.
Young left-hander Marco Gonzales might end up in Triple-A Memphis, starting every fifth day instead of working in an irregular role out of the bullpen. And with three off-days built in the season’s first nine days, the team might not need a fifth starter until April 19.
More and more, it’s looking like Garcia might be that fifth starter.
“We still have a ways to go,” manager Mike Matheny told cardinals.com. “But what he’s doing certainly looks good.”