In a recent matchup, Jameson Taillon showcased his skills on the mound with an impressive performance, despite some minor concerns. Taillon's stat line of 6.0 IP, 4H, 0ER, 1BB, and 5K looked great on paper, but there were some indications that his outing may not have been as dominant as the numbers suggest.

While Taillon demonstrated occasional brilliance with his nasty-looking 81mph curveball and an 88mph painted backdoor cutter, there were also instances where hard-hit balls turned into outs with the help of strong defense. Additionally, the Tampa Bay Rays showed discipline by laying off a few tempting pitches that could have resulted in less desirable outcomes for Taillon.

Therefore, while his numbers were undeniably impressive, it's important to approach Taillon's last start with caution. Scouts should not solely rely on the stat line to deem him absolutely locked in. However, there is no doubt about his potential to deliver exceptional pitches when he's in top form.

On the other side of the mound, Miles Mikolas of the St. Louis Cardinals has had an overall underwhelming season. However, he is currently enjoying a solid six-game stretch where he has maintained a 3.00 ERA over his last 36.0 IP. This streak even includes a quality start against the formidable Chicago Cubs.

Mikolas might not have been overpowering hitters with strikeouts, but his low walk rate, low batting average against, and minimal hard contact suggest that he has been effective at keeping opposing offenses at bay. With a fine groundball rate and a high infield fly ball rate, Mikolas has demonstrated the ability to limit damage and keep opposing teams from scoring.

While Mikolas might not be the type of pitcher one would expect to stifle the Cubs' lineup, his recent performance shows that he is currently in the midst of a promising stretch.

Both Taillon and Mikolas have shown flashes of excellence in their recent starts, despite their respective challenges. As the season progresses, fans and scouts will surely be keeping a close eye on their performances, waiting to see if they can consistently replicate their impressive outings.