Miles Mikolas has built a reputation on attacking the strike zone. But as the 36-year-old reaches the twilight of his career, a less aggressive approach could help the righty regain some of his lost effectiveness.
Mikolas starts Monday as the Cardinals (3-0) host the Angels at 6:45 p.m. to open the team's second series of the year.
He spoke about during spring training about the need to throw more pitches outside of the zone.
“It’s a conscious change of approach, and I have to not fall into my old, old habits of I’m going to be sneaky and catch this guy looking,†Mikolas said in February. “They’re swinging. It’s not like it’s going to be sneaky with it.â€
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Last season, batters hit .301 vs. Mikolas' slider, the worst number of his career and up from .239 two years earlier. That coincided with Mikolas throwing the pitch in the strike zone more (55.4%) last season than any previous season.
Mikolas is in the final year of a three-year extension, his production falling further below the league average in each of the first two seasons of the deal. By Fangraphs wins above replacement value, he ranked in the bottom quarter of qualified starters last season MLB-wide.
Last season, his 102 earned runs allowed and .284 batting average against were both second-worst among MLB pitchers.
The Angels will send out 35-year-old lefty Tyler Anderson, who went 10-15 with a 3.81 ERA last season. Mr. Duck, as the University of Oregon product is nicknamed, began his MLB career in Colorado.
St. Louis is coming off of a sweep of the Twins and is one of four remaining unbeaten teams. The Angels took two of three from the White Sox in Chicago before heading south, scoring five total runs in the series.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Lars Nootbaar, LF
2. Willson Contreras, 1B
3. Luken Baker, DH
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Iván Herrera, C
6. Brendan Donovan, 2B
7. Jordan Walker, RF
8. Victor Scott II, CF
9. Masyn Winn, SS
P: Miles Mikolas, RHP
ANGELS
1. Taylor Ward, LF
2. Nolan Schanuel, 1B
3. Mike Trout, RF
4. Jorge Soler, DH
5. Yoán Moncada, 3B
6. Logan O'Hoppe, C
7. Luis Rengifo, 2B
8. Kyren Paris, CF
9. Kevin Newman, SS
P: Tyler Anderson, LHP
Injury report
Zack Thompson, LHP (lat strain): Remained in Jupiter, Florida, to begin a throwing program after a month of limited activity and no throwing. Thompson went through multiple checkups and scans to monitor the healing of a tear in his lat on the left side, and they did not show any setback to delayed Thompson's scheduled move to the injured list. Updated March 29
