Fact Check: Did Miles Mikolas once eat a live lizard during a game? Cardinals pitcher's reptilian nickname, explained

Miles Mikolas has become a fan-favorite among the St. Louis Cardinals faithful over the past few years. The pitcher is also widely referred to as 'Lizard King' for good reason.

In 2011, a video of Mikolas eating a live lizard went viral on social media. It's safe to say that the nickname 'Lizard King' has stuck with the player ever since.

At the time of his bizarre lizard-eating incident that was caught on camera, Mikolas was part of the San Diego Padres organization. Reports claim that he was playing a game in the Arizona Fall League when he ate the creature.

In the video clip, Mikolas is seen holding a drink in one hand and an actual lizard in the other waiting in the bullpen. The pitcher then poured a few drops of his drink onto the reptile before tapping it on his tongue.

A few seconds later, Mikolas readies himself and takes several bites of the lizard before gulping down sips of his soda. His teammates also burst into laughter after watching the rather unusual events unfold right before their eyes.

According to reports, Mikolas was challenged by one of his Padres teammates to eat the live lizard as a bet. While some fans thought Mikolas portrayed himself as a daredevil, others didn't condone the stunt.

Miles Mikolas' stats in 2023 MLB season

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas

Miles Mikolas has had a rather underwhelming campaign in the 2023 MLB season thus far. The St. Louis Cardinals pitcher has racked up 63 strikeouts and 18 walks in 86.2 innings pitched at a 4.36 ERA.

The Cardinals are currently fifth in the NL Central with a 28-43 record. If St. Louis has any hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, the team will need to get its act right soon.

Mikolas will need help from his pitching teammates to tighten up the Cardinals on their defensive front in order to win games more frequently and bolster their chances of reaching the postseason.