Mitch Keller is likely one of the prime names on the pitching market. The Pirates have usually been anticipated to deal him to clear payroll house and convey again controllable hitting expertise. Whereas that’s seemingly the likeliest end result, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes that the Pirates stay uncertain of whether or not to commerce Keller with six days earlier than the deadline.
Keller is basically within the first season of a four-year contract. He signed an extension in February 2024, although that left his already agreed upon wage for final yr unchanged. Keller is enjoying on a $15MM wage this yr. That’ll climb to $16.5MM, $18MM, and $20MM for the following three seasons. It takes him by way of his age-32 marketing campaign.
That makes Keller the highest-paid participant on the roster. It’s nonetheless fairly a bit lower than he’d command if he have been on the open market. There’s  surplus worth that’d enable the Pirates to land a major return. Keller is amidst the perfect season of his profession. He owns a personal-low 3.53 earned run common in 125 innings. He’s solely hanging out 18.7% of batters confronted, however he’s strolling fewer than 6% of opposing hitters. Keller has taken a step ahead in dealing with left-handed hitters after struggling in that regard earlier in his profession.
It’s a rock-solid #3 starter profile. Keller has been exceptionally sturdy and has a six-pitch arsenal that’s headlined by a 94 MPH fastball. The Bucs have reportedly gotten calls from the Yankees, Blue Jays, Cubs and Mets — presumably amongst others that haven’t been reported. Noah Hiles of The Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette has recommended the Cubs view Keller as one thing of a fallback goal. The Mets are concerned within the rotation market however presently extra targeted on the bullpen. Toronto and the Yankees nonetheless seem strongly concerned within the rotation market. Groups just like the Giants, Crimson Sox and Tigers might additionally pursue controllable beginning pitching.
The Pirates are weighing that towards the opportunity of holding Keller behind Paul Skenes within the rotation. Prime prospect Bubba Chandler ought to be up earlier than the tip of the season. Jared Jones might return halfway by way of the ’26 marketing campaign. That’d be a doubtlessly elite prime 4 in the event that they have been all wholesome. Pitcher accidents are at all times a priority, although, and the Pirates have run out unplayable lineups yr after yr. They’re unlikely to spend their approach out of that downside. Even with star shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin coming by way of the pipeline, there’s not sufficient hitting expertise within the group.
Buying and selling Keller might be their greatest path to buying younger offensive upside. Pittsburgh also needs to get a notable return for nearer David Bednar, who’s beneath arbitration management for one more season after this one. Setup man Dennis Santana has constructed a good quantity of worth as properly. The Bucs aren’t anticipated to maneuver Oneil Cruz except they’re fully blown away by a proposal. None of their impending free brokers are going to deliver a lot again.
Common supervisor Ben Cherington was employed over the 2019-20 offseason. The Pirates haven’t come particularly shut to creating the playoffs in that point. They already changed skipper Derek Shelton earlier within the season. It stands to purpose Cherington is motivated to exhibit a path to the playoffs for the 2026 membership. Buying and selling Keller for low minors prospects wouldn’t do a lot to that finish, so it’d make sense for them to demand excessive minors and/or younger MLB expertise.
