The Washington Nationals signed Miles Mikolas to a one-year, $2.25 million deal, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
It’s a move that makes sense after trading ace Mackenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers left them needing innings at the back of their rotation.
Mikolas brings durability. He’s thrown 150-plus innings in each of the past four seasons, including two campaigns with 200 or more. That’s exactly what Washington needs right now.
But let’s be honest about what they’re getting.
The 37-year-old right-hander isn’t the same pitcher who finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting back in 2018 when he went 18-4 with a 2.83 ERA. These days, Mikolas has a serious home run problem.
Last season was rough. He gave up 1.7 homers per nine innings and even tied an MLB record by surrendering six long balls in a single game against the Cubs. That’s the kind of stat that sticks with you.
His ERA reflects the struggle – he hasn’t finished below 4.75 since 2022. After seven years in St. Louis, Mikolas is hoping for a fresh start in Washington.
This might be his last shot at a big league roster.
For the Nationals, they’re not expecting Mikolas to rediscover his 2018 form. They need someone who can eat innings and provide veteran leadership for their young pitchers. At $2.25 million, it’s low-risk move that could pay dividends beyond just what shows up in the box score.
Sometimes that’s exactly what a rebuilding team needs – an experienced arm who knows how to get through 30-plus starts, even if the results aren’t pretty.
