Cardinals' Veteran Pitcher Quietly Putting Together Excellent Season

Earlier this season, there were a lot of fans, media, and voices surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals that called for the team to cut or trade veteran starting pitcher Miles Mikolas.

Considering Mikolas struggled in 2024 and was attached to a contract that's paying him nearly $20 million this season, it was unlikely the Cardinals would find a trade suitor for him. That left the team stuck with the veteran.

On April 6, Mikolas allowed 11 hits and eight earned runs in 2 and 2/3 innings against the Boston Red Sox in his second start of the season. A lot of people expected the Cardinals to cut ties with him at that point, but the team continued to trust him and it's finally paying off.

Since that disastrous start in Boston, Mikolas has made seven appearances and been competitive in all of them. He's thrown 37 1/3 innings, allowed 27 hits, and nine earned runs. He's struck out 23 batters and walked 12 over that time period. The righty has been given the win in three of these games while suffering just one loss.

Mikolas has quietly went about his business despite the media wanting him cut whenever he makes a bad pitch. He's been a crucial piece of the Cardinals surge up the standings over the last few weeks.

If the Cardinals happen to fall out of postseason contention, Mikolas might be playing himself onto the trade block. While no team seemed to want to make a deal for him in the offseason, there could be interest at the trade deadline if he stays hot.