The Pittsburgh Pirates' offseason moves have completely flipped the script, making a highly anticipated Mitch Keller trade a non-starter! For what feels like ages, the baseball world has been buzzing with speculation about when, not if, the veteran Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller would be on the move. This feeling was palpable even at the last trade deadline, yet, as we all recall, no deal materialized then.
Early in the offseason, many experts were convinced a Keller trade was imminent. It seemed like more and more teams were lining up to acquire the soon-to-be 30-year-old right-hander. The Pirates' rationale for considering a trade also seemed to evolve. While earlier rumors suggested a desire to shed payroll, with the amount of money a new team would have to absorb being a major hurdle, the current offseason thinking leaned more towards leveraging their deep starting pitching talent to bolster a struggling offense.
While the Pirates absolutely should continue to focus on improving their lineup, they've made significant progress without parting ways with their perceived ace. In fact, the current landscape makes trading Keller seem questionable for the first time in a long while, and this shift has certainly caught some off guard.
But here's where it gets controversial: Despite the current sentiment, a trade proposal has surfaced that would send Mitch Keller to the Athletics. This idea, put forth by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, involves acquiring a trio of young players: outfielder Colby Thomas, shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, and utility man Brennan Milone. The combined major league experience among these three is a mere 49 games, all credited to Thomas. Honestly, none of these prospects seem like game-changers for Pittsburgh.
Thomas would likely face a tough challenge breaking into an outfield that already boasts established players like Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, Jake Mangum, and Jhostynxon Garcia. Kuroda-Grauer, considered the Athletics' No. 10 prospect, might be the most intriguing piece. However, his potential is somewhat capped as a shortstop who excels at making contact but lacks significant power. Milone, ranked No. 25, is realistically a bench player at best in the majors.
And this is the part most people miss: The issue isn't solely about the return package being less than spectacular. It's about the Pirates' strategic decisions. They've already thinned out their starting pitching depth by trading Mike Burrows and Johan Oviedo. This has elevated the importance of bolstering the starting rotation to the top of Pittsburgh's offseason priorities, as noted by Ben Cherington.
Trading Keller now would be the exact opposite of that goal. It might sound like a strange turn of events, but Mitch Keller currently holds more value to the Pirates internally than he might on the trade market. As the most experienced pitcher on the staff, he's an invaluable veteran presence, capable of mentoring the younger arms as they develop. His durability and consistent performance offer much-needed stability, especially if promising youngsters like Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft encounter challenges.
Keller has transitioned from being a potentially expendable asset to a necessity. Of course, if the Pirates find themselves out of contention by July, a trade at the deadline remains a possibility. However, for the immediate future, he is an integral part of the revamped roster and crucial to the club's aspirations for success.
What do you think? Should the Pirates hold onto Mitch Keller, or is there still a compelling argument for trading him? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
