Shoulder surgery to end Garcia's season

SAN DIEGO -- Left-hander Jaime Garcia is scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder to repair a labrum tear. The decision to have a procedure was made after Garcia was seen by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., on Wednesday.

Garcia will have surgery on Friday, and it will be performed by the team's head physician, George Paletta. The Cardinals' medical staff hasn't ruled out Garcia being fully recovered by Spring Training.

"It wasn't surprising at all," manager Mike Matheny said of the diagnosis. "We anticipated that was the direction he was going to go. I think it will be a relief for him to go in and get it cleaned up and be able to move forward and have a healthy Spring Training."

Garcia went on the disabled list Sunday after alerting the Cardinals to an increasing amount of pain in his left shoulder over a three-start span. He described the pain as worse than what he dealt with last year, when Garcia had to twice be shut down due to a shoulder impingement. He missed two months in season and then later had to be taken off the postseason roster.

At the time of the second recurrence, Garcia visited several doctors for recommendations on how to address the injury -- which was described as a tear to the rotator cuff and labrum. Though surgery was offered as a recommended option, Garcia eventually chose to undertake a program of rest and rehab. It was an alternative that, at the time, Andrews endorsed.

Garcia, 26, reported to Spring Training without restriction and made nine starts this season. He went 5-2 with a 3.58 ERA and twice allowed one run in an eight-inning outing.

The club began filling Garcia's spot in the rotation with left-hander Tyler Lyons, who made his Major League debut on Wednesday in the Cardinals' series finale against the Padres. Lyons is one of three rookies currently in the Cardinals' rotation. John Gast is currently subbing in for Jake Westbrook.