Cardinals $55 Million All-Star Predicted To Return To St. Louis

What will the Cardinals do with the starting pitcher?

Feb 26, 2021; Jupiter, Florida, USA; A general view of the St. Louis Cardinals logo on the stadium at Roger Dean Stadium during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

It's clear that the St. Louis Cardinals will part ways with some veterans this winter, but which ones?

The most likely option to leave the team certainly will be first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. He will be a free agent, and it has been reported that the two sides will be going in a different direction, although the door isn't completely closed.

Other Cardinals veterans already have been mentioned as players who could be on the way out of town. Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras have been mentioned as possible trade candidates. Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson have been mentioned as players whose club options may not be picked up.

Another player who has been mentioned is fellow starting pitcher Miles Mikolas. He is a two-time All-Star but has two straight rough season under his belt.

Some have wondered if he could be traded this winter, but FanSided's Zach Pressnell predicted that he actually would be back in 2025.

"The final player on this list is Miles Mikolas, the 36 year old righty that is owed $18.5 million next season," Pressnell said. "Mikolas was a net negative pitcher, posting a 5.35 ERA, -0.2 WAR and a K/9 rate well below 9.0. He's a glorified innings eater at this point in his career and the Cardinals need pitchers that can win them games rather than just eat innings. Should the Cardinals bring him back?

"No, they should try to trade him. They might have to eat a chunk if not all, of his remaining contract, but they need to clear room on their staff for a top free agent pitcher or a top prospect like Tink Hence, who's set to be ready for the big leagues in 2025. At the end of the day, no other team is going to be willing to pay nearly $20 million for Mikolas' production."

It's too early to know what the club will do with Mikolas, but he will be someone to watch over the next few months.

More MLB: Cardinals Predicted To Cut Ties With At Least One All-Star This Winter