Report: Giants re-sign Javier Lopez for $8.5 million - MLB

The Giants made another hefty commitment to a left-handed reliever on Sunday, re-signing Javier Lopez to a two-year, $8.5 million contract, the Associated Press reports.

It’s a big payday for Lopez, who is getting his first ever multiyear contract at age 34. He earned $2.35 million while amassing a 2.72 ERA and 20 holds in 53 innings last season.

The Giants stepped up with the big offer to Lopez even though they’re still in limbo with Jeremy Affeldt. It’s believed they’d prefer to re-sign Affeldt to another two-year deal instead of picking up his $5 million option for 2012.

Lopez pitched for five teams before joining the Giants in a trade with the Pirates during the summer of 2010. He held left-handers to a .163 average last season and didn’t give up a homer to any of the 222 batters he faced.

Lopez and Affeldt probably rated as the top two lefty relievers on the market this winter, with Darren Oliver and Mike Gonzalez next in line.

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.