As the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Philadelphia Phillies this Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium, all eyes are on veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas — and which version of him will show up.
Mikolas had a rough 2024 campaign, finishing with one of the worst ERAs among starting pitchers and ranking near the bottom in value, according to Fangraphs WAR. Yet the numbers paint a more complex picture. He notched 15 quality starts last season — about average — even though he also gave up five or more earned runs in 10 starts, more than any other pitcher.
That inconsistency has carried into the 2025 season. Mikolas followed up a solid start against the Angels with a disastrous outing in Boston, giving up eight runs in under three innings. He’ll need to be at his best against a dangerous Phillies lineup, especially with Philadelphia sending out lefty Cristopher Sanchez, one of the league’s most effective starters in 2024.
The Cardinals, now 6-7 after a 2-0 win in the series opener, are hoping to even things out after a shaky start to the season. The Phillies, currently 8-5, have dropped three of their last four.
Injury Updates:
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Masyn Winn (Back Spasms): Placed on the 10-day injured list after leaving Friday’s game. The team opted for caution due to cold weather and his history with back issues.
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Nolan Gorman (Hamstring): Activated from the injured list and available for Saturday’s game.
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Ivan Herrera (Knee): Out for several more weeks with a bone bruise.
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Zack Thompson (Lat): Transferred to the 60-day IL as he recovers in Florida.
The Cardinals’ lineup remains in flux, but they’ll be relying on key contributors like Nolan Arenado, Lars Nootbaar, and Willson Contreras to back up Mikolas. With the offense showing flashes and the pitching still a question mark, consistency on the mound will be critical if St. Louis hopes to gain momentu
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