Clayton Kershaw throws three simulated innings, rehab assignment could be next - MLB

Via Eric Stephen of SB Nation’s True Blue LA:

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw threw 51 pitches in a simulated game at maximum effort and with no restrictions on Sunday at Dodger Stadium before the series finale against the Diamondbacks.

Kershaw was touching 90 mph with his fastball and reported no discomfort in his back or shoulder. “It’s full effort for me,” the ace left-hander told reporters. “You can’t simulate the adrenaline of a big league game, that’s where you get your extra velocity from. But for a 10 a.m. sim game, that’s pretty much all I got.”

Kershaw said the next step in his rehabilitation process could be a minor league rehab assignment, but no official decision will be made on that front until the Dodgers see how feels Monday morning.

The 26-year-old has been on the disabled list since March 29 with a teres major muscle strain. He has only made one start this season, and it was on March 22 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia.

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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.