The St. Louis Cardinals appeared to enter a rebuilding phase at the start of the offseason. They chose to move on from several veterans, including Paul Goldschmidt, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn. If that wasn’t a clear enough signal of their rebuilding plans, the team also refrained from pursuing any high-profile free agents.
Given this rebuild, the Cardinals may be poised to make some significant moves this season. They could look to trade key players like Nolan Arenado and Ryan Helsley before the 2025 MLB trade deadline. However, the Cardinals’ most pressing need is to part ways with Miles Mikolas.
At 36 years old, Mikolas is in the final year of his substantial $55 million contract. The team owes him nearly $20 million this season, but they might consider cutting ties with him and absorbing the remainder of the deal, particularly after his rough outing against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday Night Baseball.
Mikolas lasted only 2 2/3 innings, giving up 11 hits, nine runs, eight earned runs, and issuing a walk. His fastball velocity has dipped to around 90 miles per hour, and he’s struggling to generate swings and misses.
Releasing Mikolas would open up a roster spot for a prospect like Tink Hence or Quinn Mathews. Although Mikolas has the edge in experience, it’s unlikely he’s part of the long-term plans in St. Louis.
Alternatively, the Cardinals could try to trade Mikolas alongside Helsley or Arenado, allowing another team to assume his contract. While this would reduce the prospect return for Helsley, it would save the Cardinals a considerable amount of money this season.