NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Free agent Jeff Suppan and St. Louis agreed Monday to a two-year contract, The Associated Press learned, giving the Cardinals a much-needed pitcher for their depleted rotation.

The $6 million deal was finalized after Suppan took a physical, a baseball source familiar with the negotiations told the AP on the condition of anonymity.

Suppan, 29 next month, went 13-11 with a 4.19 ERA for Pittsburgh and Boston. The right-hander has pitched at least 200 innings for five straight years, and a durable starter is exactly what the Cardinals needed.

St. Louis faded late last season, finishing three games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. The Cardinals made it through the year despite a patchwork rotation, with ace Matt Morris continuing to battle injuries.

Since the season ended, the Cardinals have parted ways with starters Garrett Stephenson, Brett Tomko and Sterling Hitchcock.

Woody Williams and Morris are the only full-time regulars remaining from the rotation. The Cardinals also have spot starter Jason Simontacchi and Dan Haren, who made 14 starts as a rookie.

Suppan is 62-75 with a 4.90 ERA for the Red Sox, Arizona, Kansas City and Pittsburgh.

He was traded from the Pirates to Boston last July 31. At the time, Suppan had won five straight decisions for Pittsburgh, including a pair of shutouts.

With the Red Sox, he went 3-4 and made 10 starts. He was left off the roster for Boston’s first-round AL playoff series against Oakland and then added for the AL championship series, but did not pitch in the seven-game loss to the New York Yankees.

He became a free agent after the season and Boston did not offer him salary arbitration, meaning he could not have re-signed until May 1. The Red Sox had declined a $4 million option, choosing to pay a $500,000 buyout.

Suppan made his major league debut with Boston in 1995 at age 20.

He spent all but 13 games of his career in the AL before signing with the Pirates for the 2003 season.