Starting pitching seems to be near the top of every contending team’s priority list at the trade deadline, and the New York Mets are no different.
Yes, the Mets’ rotation has been largely successful for most of the season, but it’s taken a lot of bumps and bruises lately. Griffin Canning is out for the year, while Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, and Tylor Megill are still on the injured list.
It wouldn’t be any surprise to see the Mets add at least one starter ahead of the trade deadline; in fact, one could probably say it’s the bare minimum at this point.
The search has evidently begun, as the Mets are sniffing around a Pittsburgh Pirates star with a durable track record.
On Saturday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Mets had shown an interest in the Pirates’ Mitch Keller, a 29-year-old former All-Star who is locked up on a five-year, $77 million extension that runs through 2028.
Keller has a 3-10 record this season, but don’t let that fool you. His 3.64 ERA is more than respectable, and more importantly, he’s thrown 106 1/3 innings, tied for the 13th-most in all of baseball.
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Keller also threw 159, 194 1/3, and 178 innings in each of the last three full seasons, so at this point, he’s established himself as one of the most reliable workhorses in the sport.
The Mets need that reliability, so it’s no surprise they’ve come calling. But even though the Pirates might like to get the rest of Keller’s contract off the books, it’s going to take some decent prospect capital to make a move happen.
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