Mikolas DFA'd by Nationals; Kent called up for start vs. Cubs

WASHINGTON – A week after he achieved 10 years of Major League service time, veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Wednesday.

The Nationals needed to clear a roster spot to call up No. 8 prospect Jackson Kent. The 23-year-old left-hander will make his Major League debut as the starting pitcher on Wednesday night against the Cubs.

Mikolas, 37, signed a one-year deal with the Nationals in February. He went 3-9 with a 5.82 ERA in 25 appearances covering 116 innings. Mikolas often followed an opener to pitch the bulk of the game. He made one true relief appearance on Tuesday when he pitched the seventh, eighth and ninth innings out of the bullpen.

The Nationals celebrated Mikolas’ 10 years of service time last week in Philadelphia. The team presented him with an engraved belt buckle to commemorate the coveted feat, which began on May 5, 2012, when he debuted with the Padres.

“It means a lot,” Mikolas said that night. “It’s been a pretty long and winding road to get here. A lot of hard work on my part, but also a lot of support from my wife and kids, my family at home, my parents, any trainer, strength coach, pitching coach, manager that I’ve had along the way has all been a big part of that. So it’s a body of work for a pretty large group of people.”

Mikolas also memorably pinch-hit and successfully laid down a sacrifice RBI bunt on the eve of the milestone.

Kent will become the fifth player to make his Major League debut with the Nationals this season. He joins the big league club after going 9-4 with a 3.72 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 20 starts (94 1/3 innings pitched) between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester in 2026.