HOUSTON - Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade told KHOU Sports Thursday that the club has picked up its half of the mutual option for 2010 for right handed pitcher Brian Moehler.
The option will pay Moehler $3 million next season.
The right hander went 8-12 with 5.27 ERA in 29 starts this season for the Astros. According to the team's official website, Moehler underwent surgery this Monday in Houston to repair a torn tendon and remove some loose bodies in right knee.
He told the website that he is looking forward to coming back to the club next year.
"I like it here, obviously," Moehler said. "I like the direction it's going. Obviously, we didn't finish as strong as we would have liked, but the pieces are in place for us to have a good year, and I'd like to be part of it."
"We have exercised the option on Brian Moehler and he accepted today," Wade told KHOU Sports. "A lot of decision to be made on those guys (free agents) and we do reconcile the face that we are probably going to have to reduce payroll because of the economic environment that we exist in right now."
Moehler missed some time this year because of injuries, but was a solid member at the back end of the rotation for the Astros down the stretch.
Watch Ed Wade's entire interview
