Cardinals Might as Well Trash Game 1 After Naming Miles Mikolas Opening Starter vs Braves in NLDS

It has not been Miles Mikolas' year.

It kind of makes sense, after all, considering his first MLB season since 2014 featured an NL-leading 18 wins with a 2.83 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 146 strikeouts in 32 starts (200.2 innings) last year.

His age-30 season has not yielded anything remotely similar. The right-hander is 9-14 (those losses lead the NL) with a 4.16 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 32 starts (184 innings) this time around.

And he's the St. Louis Cardinals' Game 1 starter for the NLDS??

Sure, the Cardinals' rotation isn't anything special, but Jack Flaherty and Adam Wainwright are undoubtedly better choices. Flaherty has been the best pitcher in baseball during the second half of the season and Wainwright possesses the necessary experience to steal a Game 1 on the road against a stacked Braves team. Even on short rest following a Game 162 outing, we'd prefer Flaherty.

Another thing: Mikolas has been TERRIBLE on the road this season and his numbers at Busch Stadium are markedly better. He's 4-8 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 17 starts away from St. Louis compared to a 5-6 mark with a 3.01 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in front of Cards fans.

Career numbers against another team are good and all, but not when 1) it's a small sample size; 2) when it's a road postseason game; and 3) when your regular season could be characterized as one big regression.

Those numbers against the Braves are in four career games (three starts) in which he has a 1-2 record.

Maybe manager Mike Shildt knows something we don't, but the optics here are poor. Are we not planning ahead? Do the Cards not want Flaherty and Wainwright as fresh as possible for a potential Game 5?

What's going on?