Lefthander Brett Cecil pitched a perfect inning against the Mets in the first spring game. But he wasn’t around for the final exhibition game as the Cardinals released the 34-year-old reliever Wednesday.
Cecil, a former standout with the Toronto Blue Jays, was signed to a $30.5 million, four-year deal before the 2017 season. That was the only full season he pitched for the Cardinals, as he appeared in a career-high 73 games with a 3.88 earned-run average and one save.
But a long list of injuries and ailments began to plague him after that. He had a left shoulder strain and also right foot inflammation that limited him to 40 games in 2018.