Unwilling to mess with a bullpen arrangement that has worked very well for the White Sox this season, manager Ozzie Guillen said Friday that Bobby Jenks remains his closer.
Questions were again raised about Jenks’ status after he blew a three-run lead in the ninth Thursday against the Tigers, raising his ERA to 5.13. He’s still a fine 23-for-26 in save chances this season, but he has had three ugly outings since the All-Star break, two of which resulted in losses.
The thing is that even though Jenks isn’t the White Sox’s best or even second-best reliever, reserving him for the ninth inning has worked out quite well for the team this year. Guillen has done a terrific job of playing matchups with Matt Thornton and J.J. Putz earlier on and has gotten great results out of the duo.
It’s just very hard to believe that the White Sox would have a better record with either Putz or Thornton working regularly in the ninth and Jenks drifting in between middle relief and setup work. Putz is currently limiting right-handed hitters to a .131 average. Thornton has held lefties to a .158 average. Both have such exceptional ERAs at the moment in no small part because Guillen can use them to the best of their abilities.
The White Sox are 48-6 when leading after five innings this seasons. Only three AL teams have better winning percentages in that category:
Oakland – .935
Detroit – .921
Minnesota – .920
Chicago – .889
Tampa Bay – .882
Boston – .865
Cleveland – .861
They’re also fifth in the AL when leading after six innings:
Oakland – .977
Minnesota – .962
Tampa Bay – .930
Detroit – .925
Chicago – .911
Boston – .889
Los Angeles – .885
No, Jenks probably isn’t worth his current $5.6 million salary, and it’s doubtful that he’ll be back with the White Sox next year. But, for now, the White Sox are quite likely better off with him pitching the ninth than they would be with any other arrangement.
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.