"Got to show ourselves that we’re a playoff team" - Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas urges swift improvement from his team to stay in playoff race 

St. Louis Cardinals veteran starting pithcer Miles Mikolas believes that the time has come for the team to improve its performance and show its credentials as a playoff contender. He feels the Cardinals could significantly boost their chances of making the postseason if they can come out on top against other playoff contenders in the near future.

Mikolas started for the Cardinals in their 6-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, which subsequently surrendered the four-game series to their archrivals. The two-time All-Star is having a difficult campaign thus far with an 8-9 record and a 5.12 ERA.

On Sunday, Mikolas stayed in the game for just four innings and gave up four runs on eight hits while striking out three batters. He spoke to reporters about the team's performance after the game (via ClutchPoints.com):

“You know, if we’re going to get there [to the playoffs], we’re going to have to beat those teams, and we’ve got to beat them now. We’ve got to show other teams and show ourselves that we’re a playoff team. We’ve got to come out and really give these teams a run for their money,” Mikolas said.

“If we’re going to turn it on, we’ve got to turn it on now. I know we’ve got a good stretch coming up against winning ball clubs — teams that if we make the playoffs we’re probably going to see like the Dodgers and Padres — so now is the time to really turn it on,” he added.

The result put the Cardinals on a 57-55 record before they face the New York Mets on Monday. They are five and a half games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (62-49) in the National League Central and three games away from a Wild Card berth.

A challenging season for Miles Mikolas

The 2024 season has been an up-and-down campaign for Miles Mikolas, as he has struggled for consistency despite putting up a few solid performances. Last year, Mikolas led all of MLB in games started, and he is doing so again this season, having pitched 128.1 innings from his 23 starts so far.

However, teams have a .280 batting average against Mikolas, and he owns the highest ERA in the Cardinals rotation. At the same time, he is allowing 9.9 hits per nine innings, including 1.3 home runs.

Mikolas pitched 6.1 shutout innings against the Washington Nationals a month ago but followed it up by allowing four home runs on his next outing against the Chicago Cubs. He then racked up 12 innings and gave up just five runs over his next two games before his poor outing on Sunday afternoon.

Mikolas' next start is expected to be against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.