Braves acquire Garcia from Cardinals for prospects

The Atlanta Braves have found yet another arm for their rotation, as they've acquired veteran left-hander Jaime Garcia from the St. Louis Cardinals for three prospects, the Cardinals announced Thursday.

In exchange for Garcia, St. Louis receives second baseman Luke Dykstra, and right-handers John Gant and Chris Ellis.

Garcia's ERA (4.67) and WHIP (1.375) spiked this past year after a career-best showing in 2015, though his strikeout numbers did jump a tick, as he averaged 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings. The 30-year-old also reached the 30-start mark for the first time in four years. Despite the spiked numbers, St. Louis chose to pick up his $12-million option earlier in the offseason.

Garcia is the third veteran starter acquired by the rebuilding Braves this winter, joining the 40-something tandem of R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon. The trio of newcomers will join incumbent ace Julio Teheran in a new-look rotation this coming April.

In 2016, Atlanta's starters combined to put up the league's third-worst rotation ERA at 4.87, while averaging 6.99 strikeouts per nine innings for the majors' fourth-lowest total.

Over eight seasons, all of them in St. Louis, Garcia owns a 3.57 ERA, 1.283 WHIP, and 723 strikeouts in 896 innings. He made two starts for St. Louis in the 2011 World Series, and helped the team win its 11th championship.

Gant, the Braves' No. 21 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, made his major-league debut earlier this year. The 24-year-old posted a 4.86 ERA and struck out 49 batters while allowing 21 walks in 20 appearances and seven starts with the Braves. He owned a WHIP above 1.4 in 12 starts at the Triple-A level. Gant is known for his unique wind-up that features a double-leg kick.

Dykstra, the son of former All-Star outfielder Lenny Dykstra, was the Braves' seventh-round pick in 2014. He spent this season at Single-A Rome, where he hit .304/.332/.363 with no homers and seven stolen bases over 81 games, while striking out 31 times and taking just six walks.

Ellis, a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, split this past year between Double-A and Triple-A. In 13 starts at Double-A Mississippi the 24-year-old struck out 61 batters and posted a 2.75 ERA. Those numbers swelled at Triple-A Gwinnett, where he struggled to a 6.52 ERA, 1.773 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts in 15 starts.