Edwin Encarnacion starts June with a bang, launching 19th home run in win over Royals

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Edwin Encarnacion had a massive month of May for the American League East-leading Blue Jays, posting a 1.176 OPS, 16 homers, and 33 RBI in 30 games. And he’s off to a great start now in June.

Encarnacion doubled and homered Sunday in Toronto’s 4-0 defeat of the Royals, finishing the afternoon with two RBI. He’s batting .271/.359/.615 with 19 total homers and 50 total RBI in 58 games this season. That’s a 53-homer and 140-RBI pace.

MLB.com has the highlight of Sunday’s blast.

The Yankees lost to the Twins on Sunday afternoon, so the Jays now boast a 3 1/2-game divsion lead.

Cardinals sign pitcher Miles Mikolas to 3-year, $55.75M deal

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Rhona Wise/USA TODAY Sports
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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.