Angels cut ties with fourth key front-office executive - MLB

The Halos are shaking things up in a major way.

From beat writer Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times comes word that the Angels have cut ties with another member of their front office, this time letting go director of player development Abe Flores.

General manager Tony Reagins resigned a couple days after the conclusion of the regular season. The very next week, longtime assistant GM Ken Forsch and special assistant Gary Sutherland were both fired. That’s four front-office executives canned in 10 days. The “Rally Monkey” better watch its back.

Flores was with the Angels for a whole decade, beginning in 2001 as the club’s manager of baseball operations. He was promoted to player development director in ’07 and spent the last four years in that role.

The Angels finished 89-73 this season, 10 games back of the Rangers in the American League West.

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.