أغر؟´«أ½

Mikolas starts Friday as the Cardinals host the Padres at 6:15 p.m. in the second of a four-game series at Busch Stadium.

أغر؟´«أ½ held on for a 9-7 win in Thursday's opener.

With Fedde out of the picture, Mikolas has been the Cardinals' least effective starting pitcher since June 1 and the most obvious embodiment of a starting staff gasping for air.

Theآ right-hander Mikolas (5-7, 5.20 ERA), who turns 37 next month, is in the last year of his contract here. He has a no-trade clause, Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold reports.

His 6.91 ERA since June 1 is worst among starters who have thrown at least 40 innings. In that time, he is permitting an MLB-worst 3.02 home runs per nine innings pitched, and his 21.9% home run to flyball rate is third worst.

Mikolas has recorded just one quality start in his last seven outings, and his team is 2-5 in those starts.

He hasn't gone consecutive games without allowing a home run since April.

Foes are feasting on his two most-thrown pitches, hitting .349 vs. the four-seam fastball and .379 against the slider since June 1.

The struggles go far beyond Mikolas, though. Since June 30, Cardinals starters have an MLB-worst 7.90 ERA.

Since the All-Star break, that number is 10.13. In those seven games, only one starter, Michael McGreevy, has allowed fewer than five runs in a game.

The Padres will startآ right-hander Nick Pivetta (10-2, 2.81 ERA), the team's most valuable starter. The 32-year-old, in his first year in San Diego, is having a career year.

In his last five outings, Pivetta has a 0.57 ERA.

The Cardinals are 53-51, alone in fourth in the National League Central. أغر؟´«أ½ is 6-13 in its last 19 games after sweeping a series in Cleveland late last month.

The Padres are 55-46, second in the National League West. The Friars are coming off losing two of three in Miami, their first series loss in their last five.

How to watch Cardinals vs. Padres

When:آ 6:15 p.m. Friday

Where:آ Busch Stadium in أغر؟´«أ½

TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (); KMOX (1120 AM and 104.1 FM), other stations in the as well as .

Your options to watch: Input your ZIP code and see your choices for watching Cardinals games.

Lineups

CARDINALS

1. Brendan Donovan, 2B

2. Ivأ،n Herrera, DH

3. Alec Burleson, LF

4. Willson Contreras, 1B

5. Nolan Arenado, 3B

6. Masyn Winn, SS

7. Yohel Pozo, C

8. Jordan Walker, RF

9. Victor Scott II, CF

P: Miles Mikolas, RHP

PADRES

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF

2. Luis Arraez, 1B

3. Manny Machado, DH

4. Jackson Merrill, CF

5. Xander Bogaerts, SS

6. Gavin Sheets, LF

7. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

8. Jose Iglesias, 3B

9. Elias Dأ­az, C

P:آ Nick Pivetta, RHP

Injury report

Lars Nootbaar, OF (left costochondral sprain):آ Nootbaar continued taking swings Thursday with hitting off a tee and soft toss. He said he has been able to go through baseball activities and has responded well as he nears a rehab assignment, which could begin as early as next week.آ Updated July 24

Nolan Gorman, 2B/3B (back tightness):آ Has been making progress and is expected to return before Nootbaar as the soreness in his lower-back subsides. He could also begin a rehab assignment by next week.آ This is a recurring injury for the young infielder, who also dealt with back soreness in previous seasons. Gorman was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday (retroactive to Friday), a day after he scratched from the Cardinals’ starting lineup for their Friday opener in Arizona because of tightness in his back. Before the first half of the season wrapped, Gorman was unavailable from the Cardinals’ bench on July 13 after his “lower back locked up on him,â€‌ Marmol said. Updated July 24

Zack Thompson, LHP (shoulder, lat strain):آ Lefty starter could begin a throwing program next week, Marmol said. Thompson has been sidelined since the start of March and was transferred to the 60-day injured list in early April. There is no timetable for his return to the mound.آ Updated July 24