Orioles can’t be feeling very good about their $50 million investment in Ubaldo Jimenez

By Jun 9, 2014, 11:51 AM EDT
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Ubaldo Jimenez is 13 starts into a four-year, $50 million deal with the Orioles and things aren’t going well at all.

Jimenez failed to make it out of the third inning Sunday on the way to his league-leading seventh loss of the season, dropping him to 2-7 with a 5.01 ERA overall. In addition to the league-high loss total he also leads the league in walks with 40, handing out 5.1 free passes per nine innings for what would be the highest rate of his already control-challenged career.

Jimenez was also awful for the Indians in 2012, going 9-17 with a 5.40 ERA, so he picked a helluva time to put together a strong season in 2013 before hitting the open market as a free agent. Although, in fairness to the Orioles, a $50 million investment in a free agent starting pitcher is hardly franchise-wrecking and in general the market for Jimenez was lower than many people expected.

He’s owed $12.25 million in 2015, $13 million in 2016, and $13.5 million in 2017.

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

Associated PressMar 25, 2023, 1:38 AM EDT
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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.