JUPITER, Fla. — Cardinals fans might be somewhat justified if they felt some uneasiness about right-hander Miles Mikolas jetting off to compete in the World Baseball Classic as a starting pitcher in an intense playoff-caliber environment against the best ballplayers on the planet at a time of year when he’d typically face spring training lineups in tune-up games.
Mikolas, the workhorse of the club’s starting pitching rotation last season and a two-time All-Star, will be a key figure on the Team USA pitching staff in the WBC later this month.
His Grapefruit League start against the Miami Marlins on Friday marked his last spring training exhibition outing for the Cardinals before he leaves camp in order to join Team USA in preparation for the tournament.