MIles Mikolas: Bend but Don’t Break

Marked improvement. That is one of the things that I have been talking about on this site since it has been evident that the Texas Rangers are not going to go to the World Series this season is that I witnessed it last night. Miles Mikolas pitched in NY for the first time in his career, and he most assuredly bent a couple of times, but he did not break.

In his last start against the Angels, he got into trouble in the fifth inning, and after giving up just one run in the first four innings, he gave up a slew of runs and was eventually pulled from the game. But not last night. Miles Mikolas once again loaded the bases in the fifth inning, and then had to face Yankees captain Derek Jeter with just one out. We all saw what happened next as Jeter grounded into a double play.

"“That’s a big situation … a big jam to get out of,” Mikolas said after the game according to texasrangers.com. “They’re rooting for him (Jeter) real hard, and it makes me want to compete a little harder. I’m trying not to think about who is at the plate and just make pitches.”"

Miles Mikolas then pitched into the eighth inning and secured his first major league win. He also lowered his ERA from over 10 to 7.48. With the way the season has gone in 2014, it is nice to see one of the young pitchers look more like Yu Darvish instead of looking like Joe Saunders.

I don’t know where the Texas Rangers and Miles Mikolas go from here, but my hat is off to the improving job that Mikolas did last night, and I hope the remainder of the pitching staff can learn from what he did. Bend but don’t break!