Cardinals righty Miles Mikolas has resumed throwing after undergoing a platelet-rich plasma injection for a strained flexor tendon in his right arm last month, writes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Mikolas is currently limited to playing catch from 90 feet, but he’s upping the distance regularly and tells Hummel that he now expects to be able to contribute from day one of the regular season — whenever that is.
The forearm injury had previously wiped out any possibility of Mikolas being part of the active roster on the previously scheduled March 26 season opener, but that’s no longer the case. The right-hander had been eyeing a late April or early May return to the roster, and with Opening Day pushed back at least eight weeks, his rehab timeline should be complete before the season gets underway.
Penciling Mikolas into the starting rotation would force the Cardinals into a tough decision on the rest of the rotation. Jack Flaherty is a lock, of course, and former ace Carlos Martinez impressed early in spring as he built back up as a starter. Veteran Adam Wainwright is back on another one-year deal as well, and the Cards also have young righty Dakota Hudson and offseason pickup Kwang-Hyun Kim in the fold as well — the latter of whom turned in eye-opening results in the abbreviated first iteration of Spring Training. There’s ample depth even beyond that group, too. Right-handers Daniel Ponce de Leon and Jake Woodford are both on the 40-man roster, as are lefties Austin Gomber and Genesis Cabrera.
The Cards will surely file all that away in the “good problem to have” drawer if it pans out, but first and foremost will be monitoring Mikolas’ rehab efforts. He’s still only playing catch from flat ground, so he’ll need to progress to throwing off a mound, throwing his breaking pitches and eventually building up to a starter’s workload. Ideally, he’ll be in the mix to start one of the Cardinals’ first games of the season, but as already illustrated, the organization has plenty of depth in the event of a setback.
Mikolas is entering the first season of a four-year, $68MM extension that he inked last spring. He’s owed a $15.75MM salary in each season of the deal, plus the prorated portion of a $5MM signing bonus to be paid each January over the life of the deal.
Good news.
No it’s not good news. He likely needs TJ surgery, so every day he delays it, is another day he misses in 2021.
You seem like you just know it all, don’t you?
There’s no “seem” to it.
He’d have been shut down completely if it was TJ. It says here, in the title actually, he’s throwing but maybe i should trust the opinion of some random guy who has nothing to do but post on a group for fans of a team he actually hates. You’re a joke man, please have some self respect and stay on your own teams page. Trolls live a sad and lonely life and every time you post here i get a little sad thinking that you’re out there, absolutely living to hate on a group of fans that really just feel bad for your sad existence. Hope you grow up and realize how little your opinion matters to everyone here dude!
Well said machumizer…now we just need Clepto to come on here and explain how the cardinals don’t have any depth…of course he will harp on how I said they have unbelievable depth…just waiting
well, you are the stupid idiot that said it….and it was wrong….so own it.
I forgot to tell everyone that he also is going to come on here and be an internet tough guy…speaking of wrong tell me Clepto about the cardinals farm system…tell me how many prospects they have in the top 100…compared to other clubs the cardinals do have unbelievable depth…as the article even speaks of the depth the cardinals have…use whatever adjective you want lol tell us Clepto more about the cardinals depth?
Ok, I shall grow up. Thanks for the $0.05 analysis doc.
Cards Farm System: Lets patronize the low brow. Say 3. Wow, 3! Unbelievable.
Here is where hard facts come back to hurt.
3 is STILL less than league average of 3.3. Therefore BELOW AVERAGE farm system.
“Unbelievable depth”.
Is your sub 80 IQ capable of handling? if not, change the subject and divert. We all know.
Gotta love the trolls people lol…amazing that you have the b@!! To come on here after you were embarrassed on the Cecil post…but hey you are my number one fan and obsessed with me so….
So, we changed the subject. Got it. Thanks turd.
Low Brow Logic Code
******
5: BEGIN
10: IF losing argument or dislikwe facts, THEN:
20: Cite pennants OR;
30: Cite division titles OR;
40: Cite world championships OR;
50: Change Subject OR;
60: Claim false victories OR;
70: DO LOOP 2x;
80: GOTO “silence”
90: End
Clepto I have already argued about this with you and completely embarrassed you…so it’s not worth doing it again…if people want to see it I suggest they go to the Cecil post about his injury
60: Claim False Victories, OR; [Check]
70: DO LOOP 2x; [Check]
80: GOTO “silence”
90: END
Thanks Low Brow.
You’re an idiot.
END
ahh, been a while since I’ve seen “coding” like that!
Yes! Finally I see someone post something that is real. Cardinal fans usually work in fantasy but reality is Mikolas is damaged goods and the organization knows he needs TJ surgery and right now he’s scamming everybody saying that he’s fine. Don’t be a goat and be fooled by this bologna
I’ve seen Pitchers throw flat ground foul pole to foul pole as part of a throwing program and feel fine. Until they step on the pitching rubber fully extend their arm and body down the slope of the mound, you will never fully know the full extent of their recovery/injury.
So…he isn’t staying inside and away from people for 14 days?
he’s throwing ricochet biscuits
I think Shildt should try Kim in the closer role, if and when the season gets started. Who knows if Hicks will ever be the same after TJ surgery. He might only be able to hit 95-97 mph after the surgery. I sure hope I am wrong. Maybe he’ll hit 105 regularly lol
I hope Martinez has grown up. Bad head problems!! He definitely has the artillery to be a starting pitcher. But—-If one thing goes wrong—- he can’t keep his head in the game. When he can’t keep his head in the game—he doesn’t throw strikes. When he can’t throw strikes—he starts letting up and will aim the ball instead of throwing it. When he starts aiming his pitch—-hitters tee off on him. Then his head blows completely up and he’ll say he’s hurt. Head case I reckon!!!!! There’s your closer or long relief guy because he can not be depended on as a solid starter.
This is great news for Miles, think that tendon might have been bothering him last year. Hopefully he returns to his dominant 2018 form. “File that away in the good problem to have drawer.” Cardinals have great pitching depth. Maybe the best in baseball. You know you are doing something right when you have 3-4 potential starters on A lot of teams in your bullpen because your rotation is shaping up to be ‘that good’
Praying for the world and all those effected right now.