Diamondbacks name Addison Reed closer - MLB

Making official what was expected from the moment they acquired him from the White Sox this offseason, the Diamondbacks announced that Addison Reed will begin the season in the closer role.

J.J. Putz also has previous closing experience and David Hernandez certainly has the raw stuff to pitch the ninth inning, but Reed saved 40 games for the White Sox last season as a 24-year-old and the Diamondbacks gave up a lot to get him in top-100 prospect Matt Davidson.

Looking beyond his big save totals Reed hasn’t actually pitched all that well, posting a 4.17 ERA in 136 career appearances while allowing 13 homers and a .243 batting average in 134 innings. His strikeout rate has been good but not great for a closer and he’s a fly-ball pitcher heading to another home ballpark that boosts homers, although switching to the NL should help.

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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.