Ryan Braun sitting out fifth straight game - MLB

Ryan Braun has avoided the disabled list so far, but tonight the Brewers right fielder is sitting out his fifth consecutive game with a strained oblique muscle.

Elian Herrera subbed for Braun in right field for the first four of those games, but the Brewers just demoted him back to the minors and will apparently use first baseman/third baseman Mark Reynolds in right field now. Not only has Reynolds never started a game in the outfield, he has a grand total of four career innings there. So that should be pretty interesting to watch.

As for Braun, a disabled list stint seems likely if only because players with oblique injuries rarely are able to return within two weeks. He was last in the Brewers’ lineup Saturday.

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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.