Veteran pitcher Miles Mikolas is heading to a new team, as the two-time National League All-Star has agreed to join the Washington Nationals in free agency. The deal, first reported by Jake Mintz of Yahoo! Sports, is believed to be a one-year contract, according to Nats Journal’s Mark Zuckerman.
Mikolas, 37, departs the St. Louis Cardinals after several productive seasons with the organization. Over his MLB career, which has included stints with the Cardinals, Texas Rangers, and San Diego Padres, Mikolas has compiled a 72-75 record across 241 appearances, including 213 starts.
St. Louis was not strongly expected to pursue a reunion with the veteran right-hander as the club continues to focus on trimming payroll and reshaping its roster. Meanwhile, Washington, currently in a rebuilding phase, adds an experienced arm that could help stabilize its rotation and potentially improve the team’s standing, rather than positioning itself near the top of the 2027 MLB Draft order.
Mikolas originally broke into the majors with San Diego, where he primarily worked as a reliever between 2012 and 2014 before continuing his career in Japan. His time overseas helped revitalize his pitching, and he returned to Major League Baseball during the 2017-18 offseason. The Cardinals signed him shortly afterward, and he quickly made an impact, leading the National League with 18 wins and logging 200.2 innings during the 2018 season, cementing himself as a key figure in St. Louis’ rotation
