Mikolas returns from Japan, agrees to $15.5M deal with Cards

ST. LOUIS (AP) Right-hander Mike Mikolas is returning from Japan, agreeing to a $15.5 million, two-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 29-year-old’s agreement was announced Tuesday. He bolsters a Cardinals’ rotation that could lose Lance Lynn, who became a free agent.

Mikolas spent the last three seasons with the Central League’s Yomiuri Giants, going 31-13 with a 2.18 ERA in 62 starts. He was 14-8 this year, setting career highs for innings (188) and strikeouts (187) while walking 23.

Selected on the seventh round of the 2009 amateur draft by San Diego, he was 4-6 with a 5.32 ERA in 37 games for the Padres and Texas from 2012-14. He was 2-5 with a 6.44 ERA for the Rangers in 2014, making 10 starts.

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