Delino DeShields Jr. is astonishingly optimistic about getting beaned with that fastball

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Astros prospect Delino DeShields Jr. was hit by a pitch, fractured his cheek bone and was featured in the photo of the year so far over the weekend. So, if he’s discouraged or bitter about it all, it would be totally understandable. But guess what: he’s not discouraged or bitter. Not at all.

DeShields gave an interview to Fox’s Jimmy Traina yesterday, and he’s waxing optimistic. Traina asked him if he was scared when his face blew up like it did:

I wasn’t scared at all. Everything happens for a reason, as silly as that may sound considering I got a ball to my face. But at the end of the day, I’m blessed and I know that God has something in store for me . . . Right now I’m going great, man. I’m in high spirits, and, like I said, I’m just blessed that God is giving me a second chance to play the game I love. It’s just a minor setback. There’s gotta be some major stuff that needs to happen to me before I can’t step back on the field against my own will.

He added “it could be a lot worse and I’m not dead,” and talked about how he and teammates starting joking about it the second he regained consciousness. 

Impressive stuff. This must be what they talk about when they talk about a guy having “a good makeup.”

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

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Rhona Wise/USA TODAY Sports
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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.