Yesterday the Rangers announced that they’ll start Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson, and Colby Lewis in the first three games of the ALDS against the yet-to-be-determined AL East champions, and manager Ron Washington said that Lee “could go” on short rest for Game 4 “if we think we need him.”
Presumably “if we think we need him” would involve the Rangers being down 1-2, but Washington didn’t get into specifics. If they don’t bring Lee back on short rest for Game 4, then Tommy Hunter would draw the start and Lee would be ready to go on full rest for Game 5 or extra rest for Game 1 of the ALCS (or super-duper-extra rest for Game 1 of the 2011 season, of course).
Lee is scheduled to make his final regular season start Thursday, followed by Wilson on Friday and Lewis on either Saturday or Sunday. “Those are the guys that got us to this point and we’ll depend on them to take us as far as we can go,” Washington said.
Oddly, the Rangers actually have a losing record in games started by Lee (5-9) and Lewis (14-17), while they’re 23-8 in games started by Wilson.
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.