Brewers sign Jeremy Jeffress to a minor league deal

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MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports that the Brewers have signed Jeremy Jeffress to a minor league deal. The Brewers originally drafted Jeffress in the first round of the 2006 draft, 16th overall. In December 2010, the Brewers sent him to the Royals along with Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, and Jake Odorizzi to acquire Zack Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt. In November 2012, the Blue Jays purchased Jeffress from the Royals. The Jays designated him for assignment last Sunday, and Jeffress elected to become a free agent rather than accept an assignment to the minor leagues.

Jeffress has shown that he still has the stuff that made him an exciting prospect, flashing a high-90’s fastball in his three relief appearances for the Jays in the first week of the season. However, in the brief amount of time Jeffress has been in the big leagues over the last five seasons, the right-hander has struggled with his command. Over 52 1/3 career innings, Jeffress has struck out 50 but has also walked 37 unintentionally.

Cardinals sign pitcher Miles Mikolas to 3-year, $55.75M deal

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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.