WASHINGTON -- On Tuesday, a slight snafu between the Cardinals, their communications team and the media gave the impression that Miles Mikolas and John Gant had been swapped in the rotation at the last minute. But really, they hadn't been switched at all.
The alignment was premeditated, mapped out with purpose. By starting Mikolas on Wednesday instead of Tuesday, the right-hander took the mound at Nationals Park on two extra days' rest. Slight alterations like this will be common in the weeks to come, as the club rolls out a modified schedule for its stable of young starters, most of which are either approaching career-high workloads and have already eclipsed them.