Taijuan Walker diagnosed with shoulder impingement - MLB

Mariners right-hander Taijuan Walker had to be scratched from what was supposed to be his final minor league rehab start Tuesday at Triple-A Tacoma and he headed to Seattle on Wednesday for tests.

The MRI results are in, according to Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune, and Walker has been diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement. He will be shut down from throwing for two weeks, and can now probably be ruled out through at least mid-May.

Walker was supposed to open the 2014 season as a member of Seattle’s starting rotation, but he battled shoulder problems all spring and landed on the 15-day disabled list before Opening Day.

The 21-year-old top pitching prospect registered an impressive 2.93 ERA, 1.196 WHIP, and 10.2 K/9 in 141 1/3 innings last season between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He then made his MLB debut August 30.

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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.