Cardinals' Miles Mikolas: Wants to throw fewer strikes

Mikolas wants to throw fewer balls in the zone on two-strike counts this season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Mikolas has a microscopic 4.1 percent walk rate over the last two seasons, but he's also surrendered more two-strike hits than anyone in baseball over that span. The goal for 2025 is to try to get hitters to chase with two strikes, which might lead to a few more walks and a higher WHIP but also hopefully more strikeouts. Mikolas is entering the final year of his three-year, $55.75 million contract and will enter the campaign with a spot in the Cardinals' rotation.