Apparently the flowers Miguel Batista sent to Miss Iowa did their job, because we just received a press release announcing that Katherine Connors is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Nationals Park tomorrow night.
Batista filled in for the injured Stephen Strasburg at the last minute Tuesday and afterward commented that the 40,000 fans in attendance probably felt like they showed up to see Miss Universe only to get Miss Iowa instead.
Connors is the reigning Miss Iowa and issued a statement in response, saying: “I know I can throw a pitch or two! The question is, can Miguel Batista walk the runway in a swimsuit?”
And so now the Nationals are taking her up on that offer (presumably without the Batista-walking-the-runway-in-bikini part).
In terms of the best performance throwing out the first pitch by an incredibly attractive woman, it’ll be pretty hard for Connors to top Marisa Miller throwing heat at Wrigley Field last season. Then again, Batista tossing five shutout innings as Strasburg’s replacement shows that anything can happen.
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.