Yu Darvish scratched from start with neck injury - MLB

Rangers ace Yu Darvish has been scratched from tonight’s scheduled start against the Twins with neck stiffness.

Darvish began the season on the disabled list with a neck injury, but ended up missing just one start and has been his usual fantastic self with a 2.35 ERA and 71/19 K/BB ratio in 61 innings spread over nine starts for Texas.

That includes a near no-hitter versus the Red Sox on May 9 and Quality Starts in each of his past four outings dating back to May 4. Darvish has allowed more than three runs in a start just once all season and has thrown at least six innings in eight of his nine starts as well.

Scott Baker is expected to make tonight’s start in Darvish’s place, matching up against his old team after spending the first eight seasons of his career in Minnesota.

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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.