Clayton Kershaw throws seven scoreless innings and whiffs nine in return from disabled list - MLB

Clayton Kershaw stepped atop a major league mound Tuesday night in Washington, D.C. for the first time since the Dodgers’ season-opening victory against the Diamondbacks on March 22 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in southeastern Australia.

The ace left-hander showed no rust following that nearly-seven-week absence — the result of a teres major muscle strain — throwing seven scoreless innings and striking out a total of nine Nationals hitters as Los Angeles rolled to an 8-3 victory.

MLB.com has the video wrapup from Nats Park …

[mlbvideo id=”32662043″ width=”400″ height=”224″ /]

Kershaw now has a 0.66 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings this season.

The 26-year-old signed a seven-year, $215 million contract extension in January.

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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.