Julio Franco is coming out of retirement at age 55 - MLB

Julio Franco was still playing in the majors at age 48–and still playing really well at age 46–and now seven years after retiring he’s ready to put on a uniform again to play some independent ball.

According to Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas the now 55-year-old Franco will serve as a player-manager for the Fort Worth Cats of the independent United Baseball League, with his first game slated for next Tuesday.

Franco is planning to play just one homestand, but as someone who’s still holding out hope that Jamie Moyer might take the mound again somewhere I think it’s pretty cool.

Here’s the official press release, which includes Franco saying that he looks forward to working with “the younger players.” Because there can’t be any older players, really.

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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.