Ten-year veteran and two-time National League All-Star right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas reported to camp today. He met his teammates, coaches, staff and with the media in his first day as a member of the Nationals.
“When I talked to them on the phone, the new front office, the new coaching staff, getting in on the ground floor, a young group of guys. I played them the last couple of years, they've got tons of talent. [This is] a team that I think can really surprise people—a team that I think is going to be really fun,” said Mikolas, who signed a one-year deal with the Nationals on Wednesday. “The way the game is changing so much, I think I have a lot to learn from some of the young guys probably, and I'll be able to share some of the stuff that I have learned over my career with them.”
Manager Blake Butera spoke highly of Mikolas and the experience he brings to a young Nationals team on Thursday during his daily press conference.
“He’s still extremely motivated and thinks there’s still another gear he can get to even though he’s 37 years of age, which is pretty cool to hear,” said Butera. “There’s definitely motivation to continue to get better, and also just the leadership qualities that he entails.”
Reflecting upon his leadership style, the 10-year veteran spoke about leading by example: "I like to get in here early on most days, get my work in the training room and the weight room, really focus on whatever we are doing out there on the back fields – attention to detail, things like that. Not just watching over stuff and doing an eye watch. We're not just out there to get through it – really work on that stuff, make sure it's tight, make sure it's buttoned up, so when things happen in a game, it's just a reaction and you don't have to think too much about it."
Mikolas’s veteran presence in the clubhouse will help the pitching staff “immensely,” remarked Butera.
“We have such a good group in this clubhouse already but then adding somebody with the pedigree and history that Miles has, he’s going to be a great leader and great voice for our clubhouse, just to continue pushing these guys and kind of bump up the work ethic even more.”
Butera also provided an update on right-handed pitcher Travis Sykora, who earned a non-roster invitation to Nationals camp. Although Sykora is recovering from Tommy John surgery, exposure in a Major League setting is key for his return and development.
“He’s very much motivated to be great. A lot of what we’ve talked about with Travis is getting him here in Major League camp, and have him have the chance to be around some players with Major League experience and also some coaches that are really good as well,” said Butera. “Travis is a young kid that already has a very impressive resume in the minor leagues, so we have high expectations high hopes for Travis as he goes through this rehab process. One thing we told him is that once you finish this process we don’t want you to be the Travis you were before we want you to be even better."
Thursday’s bullpen sessions were broken down into the following groups:
Group 1 – Josiah Gray, Foster Griffin, Trevor Gott and Jackson Rutledge
Group 2 – Clayton Beeter, Julian Fernandez, Andry Lara and Cole Henry
Group 3 – Shinnosuke Ogasawara and Griff McGarry