The St. Louis Cardinals had a potential problem brewing in their starting rotation. They took care of one piece on Friday.
According to Jesse Rogers from ESPN, the Cardinals and Mikolas have agreed on a two year deal worth $40 million. That was the second piece of good news that Mikolas received on Friday as he was also named as the Cardinals’ Opening Day starter.
Miles Mikolas staying with St. Louis Cardinals a little longer
Mikolas has been a solid pitcher for the Cardinals since returning stateside from Japan. He has a 41-34 record with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.113 WHiP over his 631.2 innings, striking out 474 batters with 111 walks. He has surpassed the 180 inning mark three times, has been a two time All Star, and led the league with 18 wins in 2018.
There are some reasons to be concerned with such a deal. Mikolas is 34 years old and will have turned 37 years old once the deal is over. He missed the entire 2020 season due to surgery to repair a flexor tendon in his right arm and then missed nearly three months in 2021 due to a strained forearm. He has been a solid pitcher, but at some point, age and his workload will catch up.
But he is well worth the risk for the Cardinals. Steven Matz was the only member of their projected 2023 rotation that was under contract for next season. The Cardinals do have several intriguing arms in their system, especially in Tink Hence and Gordon Graceffo. However, a team with championship aspirations will not be pinning their hopes on an unproven rotation. Keeping Mikolas was necessary.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Miles Mikolas have come to terms on a two year extension. It is a perfect move for both sides.
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