Mikolas gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks over 4.2 innings during Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out one.
Facing the team he spent the last seven seasons with, Mikolas tossed only 46 of 83 pitches for strikes and served up a three-run, first-inning homer to Nelson Velazquez. The veteran right-hander hasn't shown much this spring, posting a 6.52 ERA and 6:7 K:BB through 9.2 innings, but the rebuilding Nationals are just counting on Mikolas to soak up some innings while they wait for prospects like Travis Sykora (elbow) and Jarlin Susana (lat) to get healthy and start making a case for spots in the big-league rotation. Mikolas has made more than 30 big-league starts in four straight seasons, but his 4.51 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 6.3 K/9 during that time don't offer much fantasy appeal.