Miles Mikolas, the seasoned starter who had truly underperformed in back-to-back seasons, was the man that those fans most wanted John Mozeliak to transfer, despite the fact that Nolan Arenado was the focus of a winter full of St. Louis Cardinals trade rumors. By the time the trade deadline arrives, Cardinals fans may get what they want, but for an unexpected reason: Mikolas is actually pitching effectively for the suddenly 13-17 Cardinals.
Mikolas pitched 5.1 shutout innings in the opening game of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds. He didn’t give up a walk and only gave up three hits while striking out four hitters.
If the Cardinals are eliminated from playoff contention, starts like this will make Mikolas a compelling contender to be moved in July.
Miles Mikolas is turning himself into Cardinals trade candidate in a way nobody expected
Fans of the Cardinals may assume that Mikolas has been the same person based on a cursory look at his season ERA. He had a 5.70 ERA going into Wednesday’s action after five outings, which this outing reduced to a still disappointing 4.66. Although the figure may not seem impressive, one particularly difficult outing is mostly to blame for its high level.
With that one explosive start serving as the one exception, Mikolas has now given up three runs or less in five of his six starts. In those previous outings, his ERA was below -3.00. This includes starting against teams with strong offenses, such as the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets.
Can he maintain his strong start? That is up for dispute. He hasn’t given up a home run yet and is walking more than usual while striking out very few. In warmer weather, Mikolas might have some problems as the ball begins to carry more.
There will probably be a market for the seasoned right-hander, even if it’s a tiny one, if he keeps up his good work and the Cardinals decide to let him go. This is the last year of his contract, but the Cardinals will probably have to pay some of the $17.6 million he owes. Even if the return isn’t tremendous, it will be better than anybody could have anticipated going into the season, which is a significant bonus for the Redbirds who are retooling. Starting pitching is always in demand.
