Self-styled ‘Midwest Farmer’ Miles Mikolas is MLB Twitter’s Opening Day punching bag
The St. Louis Cardinals entered the 2023 season with postseason aspirations and wound up being one of the most disappointing teams in the league, going 71-91 and never appearing to be particularly competitive.
The Cardinals improved their roster this offseason, shoring up the rotation with guys like Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn and adding to the bullpen as well. With the new additions to the pitching staff and a stout position player core, the Cardinals expect to compete in the NL Central this season.
They might not have had the offseason that the Dodgers just had or be littered with stars like the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Cardinals believe that they have the talent to win. Just ask their Opening Day starter, Miles Mikolas.
#STLCards RHP Miles Mikolas on opening vs. the #Dodgers : “We’re not exactly a low payroll team, but you got the Dodgers playing checkbook baseball. We’re going to be the hardest working group of Midwestern farmers we can be. … It would be great to stick it to the Dodgers.”
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 16, 2024
Mikolas seemed to believe that the Cardinals would match up against the "checkbook baseball" Dodgers, and he had a chance to stick it to them on Opening Day. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, as the Midwest Farmer didn't stand a chance against the Dodgers.
Dodgers broadcast makes fun of Miles Mikolas's comments leading up to the series
— VHS (@VanHicklestein) March 28, 2024
🎙️ Joe Davis
🎨 Orel Hershiser#stlcards pic.twitter.com/60u10OTx78
Miles Mikolas is MLB Twitter’s Opening Day punching bag after rough start
Mikolas struggled from the start and allowed five runs on seven hits with two walks in just 4.1 innings of work against the Dodgers. The right-hander allowed home runs to Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman while also allowing Shohei Ohtani to reach base all three times he faced him. Meanwhile, on the other side, Tyler Glasnow, a pitcher that the Cardinals could have acquired, pitched six innings of one-run ball for Los Angeles.
Mikolas decided to talk smack at arguably the best team in baseball, and he paid the price for it on Twitter.
mikolas’ final line today: https://t.co/7lTcu6ra6k pic.twitter.com/wTv8D7BHn1
— wex (@lexiebu) March 28, 2024
poor midwest farmer giving up two homers in one inning pic.twitter.com/H8M6cfF52b
— lizzy🔪 (@lzzybats) March 28, 2024
Miles Mikolas, who derided the Dodgers as playing "checkbook baseball," has faced the billion-dollar trio of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman twice today.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) March 28, 2024
BB, 2B, 1B, HR, BB, HR.
5-0, Dodgers, B3.
The Dodgers are working the Midwest farmer to all fields.
— David Young 🎙️ #Vin (@DavidYoungTBLA) March 28, 2024
Mikolas must not realize California has more farmers than the Midwest. #Dodgers
— Tweetmix (@tweetmix) March 28, 2024
For the Cardinals to be competitive this season, Mikolas is going to have to step up. The 35-year-old struggled last season but is a two-time All-Star including an appearance in 2022. With tons of question marks in the rotation after Sonny Gray (when healthy), the Cardinals need Mikolas to pitch close to the All-Star level he's shown he's capable of being at. Unfortunately, his first start was nowhere near that level.
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