Miles Mikolas allows four runs in loss Saturday

The 37-year-old hurler was designated for assignment on Wednesday after posting a 5.82 ERA over 25 appearances (11 starts) on the season. He’s now free to latch on elsewhere if he can find another opportunity that will almost certainly have to be on a minor league deal.

The Nats added Mikolas on a one-year, $2.25 million deal back in February, something which made sense given the state of their rotation, but he’s posted a rough 5.82 ERA over 11 starts and 14 relief appearances this season. As he turns 38 later this month, it’s fair to wonder if he’s thrown his final pitch in the majors. The Nationals are calling up Jackson Kent to make his MLB debut on Wednesday against the Cubs.

According to multiple reports, Miles Mikolas was saying goodbye to teammates in the clubhouse following Tuesday’s game, which means that he’ll be the corresponding move. Kent has recorded an encouraging 3.72 ERA and 105/30 K/BB ratio across 94 1/3 innings in the upper minors this season. He’ll face a tough test in his major-league debut, which makes it challenging to endorse him as a streaming option for fantasy purposes.

The 37-year-old hurler walked one and struck out one batter in the ballgame. The Phillies got to him early and often in this one, striking for two runs in the first, one in the second and three more in the third — all without the benefit of a home run. Mikolas finished his day with a pair of scoreless frames, but the damage had already been done at that point. He got just four whiffs on 93 offerings in the game, posting an underwhelming CSW of 23 percent. Now 3-9 on the season, he’ll carry a miserable 5.89 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and a 56/23 K/BB ratio (113 innings) into Wednesday’s battle against the Cubs.

Mikolas struck out two and walked one as the Nats went on to win 10-7. The right-hander has a 5.65 ERA this season and is well off the fantasy radar. He draws the Braves in Atlanta next time out.

Carson Palmquist opened for the Nationals and tossed a scoreless first inning before giving up four in the second. He was chased with two outs in the inning at 36 pitches. Mikes Mikolas took over and recorded the final out, then gave up a run in the third on a double and two groundouts. Two hits in the fifth and a solo homer in the sixth brought two more runs in for Colorado before Mikolas departed with one out in the sixth inning. He struck out one. The 37-year-old right-hander ends the day with a 5.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 51/20 K/BB ratio across 98 innings. His next outing is scheduled for Monday at home against the Blue Jays.

Mikolas will be pitching for the first time since serving his five-game suspension for fighting Boston’s Nate Eaton.

Mikolas’s suspension for his tussle with Nate Eaton in the June 30 game against the Red Sox didn’t get reduced, but it hardly matters. He pitched four innings today, so he obviously wasn’t going to pitch Sunday, and the Nationals will be fine going without him in the first four games after the break.

PJ Poulin had served as the opener for the Nationals, recording the first five outs before giving way to Miles Mikolas in the second inning. Mikolas scattered four hits and one walk, pitching into the sixth while keeping the Yankees off the board. His day would be done with two outs in the inning. The 37-year-old right-hander ends the first half with a 5.53 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 50/20 K/BB ratio across 94 1/3 innings.

Mikolas gave up nine hits, including a pair of homers. He struck out three and handed out a pair of free passes. He’s unlikely to take the ball again later this week as he’s facing a five-game suspension for his on-field actions during last week’s brawl with the Red Sox that will go into effect once the appeal process concludes. It’s possible he could start this weekend against the Yankees if his five-game ban is reduced on appeal. He’s obviously not a recommended fantasy option at this point.