On Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals announced that they had reached an agreement with starter Miles Mikolas on a two-year, $40 million contract extension.
The Cardinals were set to enter the 2023 season with only one starter signed for 2024 and beyond, that being left-hander Steven Matz.
Adam Wainwright is set to retire at the end of the season, while Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery are both free agents to be.
Now, Mikolas joins Matz as the second starter to be locked up through the 2024 season.
Both pitchers’ contracts expire after 2025.
On Twitter, a Cardinals fan commented on the Mikolas extension and what it means for the team.
So far in his Cards career, Mikolas has thrown 631 innings with a 3.46 ERA, a 3.84 FIP and a 4.8% walk rate.
ZiPS predictions for the next three years:
2023: 156 IP, 3.75 ERA, and 1.6 fWAR
2024: 135 IP, 3.94 ERA, and 1.1 fWAR
2025: 117 IP, 4.22 ERA, and 0.5 fWAR #STLCards—Cards Convo™ (@CardinalsConvo) March 24, 2023
Mikolas first joined the Cardinals in December of 2017.
After a strong first season with the club, he was given a four-year contract extension.
The 34-year-old has thrown a total of 631 innings and has posted a 3.46 ERA, a 3.84 FIP, and a 4.8 percent walk rate.
The fan listed what Mikolas’ ZiPS projections are for the next three seasons, per FanGraphs.
Mikolas is projected to remain a steady presence in the Cardinals rotation and carry the torch once Wainwright is retired.
His ERA is expected to remain in the threes for 2023 and 2024 and go just above four in 2025.
As of now, this appears to be a good move for the Cardinals.
Like Wainwright, Mikolas was used sparingly in the World Baseball Classic, but pitched admirably for Team USA.
The veteran right-hander is set to start Opening Day for the Cardinals against the Toronto Blue Jays next Thursday at Busch Stadium.
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Miles Mikolas Comments On His Extension
