NEW YORK (Reuters) - The St Louis Cardinals bolstered their starting rotation by signing free agent right-hander Brad Penny to a one-year deal, the National League club announced on Tuesday.
Penny signed a $7.5 million contract with further incentives, the Cardinals said at the winter meetings in Indianapolis, according to the Major League Baseball website (mlb.com).
Health issues contributed to a sub-par 2008 with the Los Angeles Dodgers for Penny, who also struggled in four months this season with the Boston Red Sox.
After Boston released him, Penny signed with the San Francisco Giants and went 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA in six starts.
Penny joins a St. Louis rotation that has the potential to be one of the league's best, led by 2009 Cy Young candidates Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, and veteran Kyle Lohse.
In 2007, Penny was one of the game's top starters, going 16-4 with a 3.03 earned run average for Los Angeles.
(Writing by Larry Fine, Editing by Ian Ransom)
