As the St. Louis Cardinals prepare to welcome the New York Yankees for a three-game series this weekend, the National League Central club is four games behind the New York Mets for the third and final Wild Card spot.
The Cardinals did themselves no favors in their chase for a postseason berth, dropping two out of three games to a historically bad Colorado Rockies team. They won the first contest of the series 3-2 thanks to a relatively solid outing by veteran starting pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Mikolas allowed two earned runs on four hits and struck out three in 6.2 innings on Monday against the Rockies. Regardless of the 36-year-old’s performance, the Cardinals may consider giving other pitchers in their organization his roster spot.
Should the Cardinals Release Miles Mikolas?
On Wednesday, FanSided’s Lior Lampert voiced his frustration with the St. Louis Cardinals‘ hesitancy to move on from Mikolas, citing the pitcher’s ineffectiveness at this point in his 10-year MLB career.
“Turning 37 in August and on an expiring contract, he’s [Mikolas] been erratic to the point that Redbird Nation wouldn’t mind him expediting the retirement process,” wrote Lampert. “Sitting at 61-61 after a 6-5 loss in Colorado, St. Louis is riding the treadmill of mediocrity and operated as sellers at this year’s trade deadline. Why are they hanging onto an aging hurler who’s far removed from his previous All-Star form?”
This season, Mikolas is 6-9 with a 4.97 ERA and averages six strikeouts per nine innings. His 17 percent whiff rate ranks at the bottom of MLB, and opposing hitters are batting .327 against his four-seam fastball, a pitch he utilizes 28 percent of the time.
St. Louis has already been proven right for dumping one washed-up right-hander’s salary by sending Erick Fedde to the Atlanta Braves,” Lampert wrote. Not only has he struggled in his new home, but rerouting him has allowed them to recall one of their top pitching prospects, Michael McGreevy. The latter has been a good enough rotation piece, including his solid yet unsuccessful appearance against the Rockies, even though there have been inconsistencies.
Who would replace Miles Mikolas in the rotation?
Middle infielder JJ Wetherholt headlines the St. Louis Cardinals‘ farm system, with 2025 first-round draft pick Liam Doyle ranked second on their MLB Pipeline prospects list. Doyle is still a few years away from making his Major League debut.
A minor league pitcher, closer to making his debut, is Stanford University product Quinn Matthews. The 24-year-old lefty is pitching at Triple-A Memphis.
“Mathews is the No. 5-ranked player in St Louis’ farm system,” wrote Lampert. “He’s fared well at Triple-A Memphis this season, particularly of late, and seems worthy of a promotion, particularly for a team with little-to-no playoff hopes. The talented young southpaw has gone 1-1 with a dazzling 1.78 ERA and 34 strikeouts over his last five starts (25.1 innings).”
If the Cardinals release Mikolas, Matthews could be one of the arms they consider to take his place in the rotation.
Time is running out for the Cardinals to make a run at the postseason, and perhaps cutting ties with Mikolas, as Lampert suggests, is the first step in the right direction.
Cardinals Urged to Cut Ties With 4.97 ERA All-Star