As the St. Louis Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series this week, news emerged that a former two-time All-Star pitcher who once suited up for St. Louis has been released by his current team.
A couple of days ago, the Washington Nationals decided to part ways with Miles Mikolas after he reached 10 years of MLB service time. On Friday, reports confirmed that Mikolas has officially been released by the Nationals and is now a free agent.
MLBTR.com’s Anthony Franco wrote: “The Nationals have requested unconditional release waivers on Mikolas, per a club announcement. He’ll be a free agent once he clears.”
Miles Mikolas’s Tenure with the Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals fans should be quite familiar with Miles Mikolas, who spent parts of seven seasons with the organization and earned selections to two MLB All-Star Games.
In 203 starts for the Cardinals, covering 1,161 innings, Mikolas posted a 4.16 ERA with 833 strikeouts and a 98 ERA+. He was never known as a high-strikeout pitcher, but during several seasons in the middle of his career, Mikolas was particularly effective at limiting hard contact.
As his career progressed, however, he began leaving too many pitches over the middle of the plate.
Mikolas was selected as an All-Star in 2018 and 2022.
In 2022, he recorded a 3.29 ERA over 32 starts and more than 200 innings. His 2018 campaign was arguably even more impressive, as he posted a 2.83 ERA in 32 starts and led the National League with 18 wins.
Although Mikolas dealt with injuries at various points in his career, like most pitchers, he was generally a durable starter. He recorded several seasons with at least 30 starts, particularly during his time in St. Louis.
Taking a Glance at Mikolas’s Full Career
Miles Mikolas has pitched in 11 total MLB seasons.
Outside of the Cardinals, he spent one season with the Washington Nationals, one year with the Rangers, and two seasons with the Padres.
With Washington this season, Mikolas posted a 5.82 ERA over 116 innings. In other words, he was not particularly effective in 2026, but he still provided the Nationals with innings throughout the season, which carries value for a pitching staff.
Across his entire MLB career, Mikolas has made 224 starts and owns a 4.37 ERA with 953 strikeouts.
If he chooses to retire after reaching the 10-year MLB service mark and securing the associated lifetime pension, it would still represent a solid career for the 37-year-old Jupiter, Florida, native.