Out since mid-April with a shoulder injury, Edwin Encarnacion is finally expected to come off the disabled list today.
Unfortunately for the Blue Jays he’ll be taking the roster spot of Travis Snider, who was placed on the DL with a sprained wrist Monday just when the 22-year-old was starting to put up some big numbers. Snider hit .378 with three homers and six doubles in 12 games this month after batting .155 in April.
Encarnacion will resume starting at third base, with Jose Bautista remaining in the lineup every day by shifting to the outfield. Bautista ranks third in the AL with 11 homers after averaging just 17 long balls per 500 at-bats coming into the year. Encarnacion struggled before the DL stint and his star has faded considerably, but he’s very capable of being an asset offensively if the Blue Jays are willing to live with his terrible glove.
Cardinals sign pitcher Miles Mikolas to 3-year, $55.75M deal
Rhona Wise/USA TODAY Sports
ST. LOUIS — Miles Mikolas is sticking with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The right-hander signed a three-year, $55.75 million contract on Friday that will carry through the 2025 season.
The new deal replaces a $68 million, four-year contract signed in February 2019 that covered the 2020-23 seasons and was set to pay $15.75 million this year.
Mikolas will receive a $5 million signing bonus payable July 1 and will make $18.75 million in 2023 and $16 million in each of the following two seasons. Mikolas can earn a $250,000 bonus for winning a Cy Young Award, $50,000 for All-Star election or selection or winning a Gold Glove, $100,000 for League Championship Series MVP and $150,000 for World Series MVP.
Mikolas is scheduled to make the second opening-day start of his big league career next Thursday when the Cardinals host Toronto. Mikolas went 12-13 with a 3.29 ERA last season while helping St. Louis to the NL Central title.
“Miles stands among the top pitchers in the game today, and has continued to provide a steady presence for us both in the rotation and inside the clubhouse,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement.
Mikolas is 45-40 with a 3.79 in 143 games with San Diego, Texas and St. Louis. He recently pitched six shutout innings in two appearances for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic.