Manny Machado is back seven months after knee surgery

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Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Orioles are expected to activate Manny Machado from the disabled list for tonight’s game in Baltimore, assuming bad weather doesn’t postpone things.

He’s been out since suffering a season-ending knee injury on September 23 that required surgery, but Machado went 8-for-12 with five extra-base hits in three games while rehabbing in the minors, including 4-for-4 with two doubles Sunday. So his bat certainly looks ready to go.

Before the injury Machado had a fantastic age-20 season, hitting .283 with 14 homers and a league-leading 51 doubles while playing Gold Glove defense at third base. He made the All-Star team and cracked the top 10 in Wins Above Replacement among AL players. And now hopefully he’s ready to pick up where he left off after missing just six games last season and 24 games this season, which in terms of missed time for a major knee injury is just about the best-case scenario.

Orioles third basemen–Ryan Flaherty and Jonathan Schoop basically splitting time–have hit just .213 with one homer and a .565 OPS subbing for Machado this season, so even if Machado is a little rusty he figures to provide a big boost.

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.