The Yankees have some interest in Rick Ankiel - MLB

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post hears that the Yankees “have shown some interest” in picking up Rick Ankiel.

Ankiel was designated for assignment by the Nationals this week after batting just .228/.282/.411 with five home runs and a .694 OPS through 171 plate appearances. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com wrote at the time that the Yankees “don’t seem interested” in Ankiel, but it’s possible things have changed over the past couple of days.

Brett Gardner will have right elbow surgery next week and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Nick Swisher left last night’s game against the Athletics with a mild left hip flexor strain and is considered day-to-day. Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones have been surprisingly productive in left field and Dewayne Wise has played well as an extra outfielder, but the Yankees figure to be on the lookout for alternatives in the coming days and weeks.

Ankiel, 33, can play all three outfield positions and has some pop from the left side, so he figures to latch on somewhere even if the Yankees pass.

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.