Garrett Richards suffers ugly left knee injury - MLB

The Angels just got dealt a potentially-major blow.

Garrett Richards — who has suddenly developed into a legit staff ace this season at age 26 — was transported off on a stretcher Wednesday evening at Boston’s Fenway Park after suffering what looked to be a very serious left knee injury in the bottom of the second inning of his start against the host Red Sox.

Richards was hustling over to cover the first base bag on a potential double play when his legs buckled underneath him. He laid on the ground for close to eight minutes before Albert Pujols and Angels manager Mike Scioscia lifted him carefully onto a cart. All of the Angels players came onto the field as trainers were tending to Richards, and David Ortiz — who wasn’t involved at all in the fateful play — said some words of encouragement to the right-hander before he was taken off. Updates will be coming.

Richards owns a 2.61 ERA in 26 starts this year. Anaheim’s other starters have a combined ERA of 4.04.

The Angels currently hold a one-game lead over the A’s in the American League West standings.

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UPDATE, 8:56 p.m. ET: According to MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez, the Angels are calling it a “left patellar knee injury,” but don’t have any more information at this time. Richards will obviously have an MRI.

MLB.com has now posted video of the Richards injury. It’s not a pretty scene …

[mlbvideo id=”35527867″ width=”560″ height=”315″ /]

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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.