Josh Hamilton and Rangers agree to two-year, $24 million deal

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Josh Hamilton and the Rangers won’t have to worry about arbitration again, as the two sides have agreed to a two-year contract. Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the deal is worth $24 million.

Hamilton was seeking $12 million for this season, while the Rangers countered at $8.7 million. That makes the midpoint $10.35 million and he likely would have been in line for an even bigger figure next season, so the contract is a fair one for both sides that gives the Rangers some cost certainty in case he has another MVP campaign.

And perhaps just as importantly, it also allows the Rangers to avoid bringing up his history of substance abuse in a hearing, which potentially could have gotten very ugly.

If they hadn’t reached an agreement there was a hearing scheduled for Monday, but various reports during the past couple weeks have consistently said negotiations were going smoothly. Hamilton, who hit .359 with 32 homers, 100 RBIs, and a league-leading 1.044 OPS in 133 games last season, will be 32 years old when he’s eligible for free agency following the 2012 season.

Cardinals sign pitcher Miles Mikolas to 3-year, $55.75M deal

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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.