Report: Mariners and Orioles among four teams interested in Heath Bell - MLB

Veteran reliever Heath Bell was just given his release by the Rays earlier this week, but it looks like he won’t be out of work for long.

Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reports that the Mariners and Orioles are among four teams with “serious interest” in Bell. The 36-year-old is expected to sign with a team within the next couple of days, likely on a minor league deal.

The Rays acquired Bell from the Diamondbacks over the winter as part of a three-team trade, but he got the boot after posting an ugly 7.27 ERA and 12/8 K/BB ratio over his first 17 1/3 innings this season. Tampa Bay is on the hook for $5.5 million of his $9 million salary this year. The Diamondbacks and Marlins are covering the rest. Yes, he’s getting checks from three different teams. You don’t see that very often.

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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.