Miles Mikolas Reunion? Not So Fast Cardinals Fans

Aug 1, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas (36) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Miles Mikolas Reunion? Not So Fast Cardinals Fans

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 26, 2026 4:00 PM ET

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It's no secret that the St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation is thin at the moment. Even though that is the case, there have been some surprising suggestions out there about what the club should do to fill the gap until Andre Pallante returns.

One name that has been out there on social media a lot has been old friend Miles Mikolas. The two-time All-Star spent eight years in St. Louis. There were stretches when he was great. He earned both of his All-Star nods as a member of the Cardinals. But there were also times when he mightily struggled. He had a 4.84 ERA in 2025, which was an improvement after he logged a 5.35 ERA in 2024. This season, he appeared in 25 games with the Washington Nationals and had a 5.82 ERA before they moved on.

Mikolas is available, but there are other options the Cardinals should consider. On social media, the idea of the Cardinals going after Mikolas has been a polarizing topic, but Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch joined the "BK & Ferrario" show on 101 ESPN St. Louis and shared that when asked if the club was considering signing Mikolas as the time, their answer was "nope."

Don't Expect Miles Mikolas Back In St. Louis

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"As of Sunday when I was asking around about that, the answer was 'nope,' Goold said. "It was a pretty strong nope and they said they would get creative first."

This is the right call. Mikolas is someone who can eat up innings, but there are better options. Internally, someone like Cooper Hjerpe would be an easy and obvious option to come in. While very unlikely, seeing someone like Jurrangelo Cijntje could be a fun idea. Although, again, that's a pipe dream. St. Louis recently brought Josh Fleming to town and he's down in Triple-A. He'd be another easy option to promote for a short time.

If the Cardinals did want to go external for the rotation, Lance McCullers Jr. is out there for the taking right now. The former All-Star and first-round pick is just 32 years old and would at least be interesting to see if St. Louis could get him back on track. If so, he'd be someone to consider for 2027 as well. That wouldn't be the case with Mikolas.

Mikolas is out there for the taking in free agency, which is what triggered the conversation in the first place. But it's not the move St. Louis needs.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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