Saint Louis Cardinals left-handed-pitcher Jaime Garcia will undergo surgery on his left shoulder that will leave him sidelined for the remainder of the 2014 season.
Garcia, who had Tommy John surgery in 2008, revealed that he has a nerve issue called thoracic outlet syndrome. He has been on the disabled list since June 23 as a result of this condition.
This procedure marks the fourth surgery Garcia will undergo during his career. Last year, he had a surgery to repair a labrum tear in his left shoulder.
"Clearly, he's been a hard guy to count on and a hard guy to keep on the field," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said, according to Alex Halsted of MLB.com. "It just always seems like there's something physically with him. Now he'll have another opportunity to rehab and see if he can't get back next year."
Garcia’s 2014 season got off to a rough start as he experienced a setback from his shoulder injury in the spring. While making a rehab appearance in Double-A, he was hit by a pitch in his surgically repaired elbow. This incident triggered the injury that has landed him on the disabled list now.
Garcia has made only seven starts this season and has posted a 3-1 record with a 4.12 ERA. In 2013, he was limited to nine starts, going 5-2, according to baseball-reference.com.
The 27-year-old will receive the remainder of his $7.75-million salary this season. Next year, he is scheduled to earn $9.25 million, reports Dayn Perry of cbssports.com.
Garcia’s condition is similar to that of former teammate Chris Carpenter. Carpenter’s career was ultimately ended because of it.
“It's tough to sit here and say I want to do surgery,” Garcia said.