Tim Hudson set to make season debut Sunday - MLB

After throwing 101 pitches in his fourth and final minor-league rehab start Tim Hudson has been cleared to return from back surgery and the 36-year-old will rejoin the Braves’ rotation Sunday versus the Pirates.

Hudson underwent surgery in November and will slide into the rotation spot created by the Braves demoting Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A earlier this week.

He posted a 3.57 ERA while rehabbing and held minor-league hitters to a .190 batting average, but also had a poor 9/6 K/BB ratio in 10.2 innings. In terms of workload Hudson should be fully stretched out and able to start without any restrictions.

Because of Jurrjens’ demotion rookie Randall Delgado will remain in the rotation as the Braves’ fifth starter.

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.