2025 Player Outlook

His 4.65 xERA and 4.24 FIP last year look a lot better than his actual ERA of 5.35, but at the end of the day, Mikolas is what he is at this point. He’s a pitch-to-contact innings eater who lives in the strike zone. He doesn’t miss bats, and he boasts one of the best walk rates in the league. His dearth of strikeouts diminishes his overall fantasy value, but he will be one of a handful of pitchers who will log 180+ IP this season. Over the last three seasons, Mikolas has the sixth-most innings pitched in baseball, and while he’ll provide the Cardinals (and fantasy managers) with a lot of innings in 2025, his ERA will be in the mid-4s with a strikeout rate in the mid-to-upper teens. Very low ceiling player.