David Ortiz wants to retire with the Red Sox. Don't hold your breath, Papi - MLB

And he doesn’t mean on one of them fancy Nomar Garciaparra one day contracts, neither:

“They know what my feelings are about staying around and playing here
and hanging them up with the Red Sox. It’s not like I’m planning to
retire right now, but you know what I’m saying . . . This is home to me.
I’ve been in this organization for years and I’ve been well known here. I
understand when you’ve got to go somewhere else. This is about
producing. That’s why I’ve been here all these years. That’s what I do.
We’ll see.”

That’s sweet and everything, but here’s how this thing is gonna go: Ortiz is going to make noises about wanting his $12.5 million option picked up. The team isn’t even going to consider it. When the team comes back with an offer — think $5 million or a bit more — Ortiz will balk and enter the market.

I’m sure the Red Sox are pleased that the reports of Ortiz’s death were exaggerated, but that doesn’t mean that they’re willing to take that kind of chance again. If he’s to stay in Boston it will be on a year-to-year basis for lowish money.

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.