Jurickson Profar shut down after aggravating shoulder injury - MLB

If the Prince Fielder injury wasn’t bad enough news for Rangers fans, get a load of this.

According to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Rangers manager Jon Daniels said during today’s conference call that infielder Jurickson Profar has been shut down after he aggravated the teres major muscle in his right shoulder. Yep, that’s a gut punch.

Profar was expected to take over as the starting second baseman following the Ian Kinsler trade, but he injured his shoulder late in spring training. The 21-year-old was just getting back into action in recent weeks, but he apparently tweaked his shoulder while “rolling over in bed.” Seriously.

Profar won’t have surgery, but the expectation is that he’ll miss another 8-12 weeks. In other words, he might not be ready to join the Rangers until around September. Quite a year for the Rangers. On the bright side, their beat reporters are becoming experts in medical jargon.

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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.