As MLB’s trade deadline continues to get closer, rumors continue to swirl around the league’s top contenders. One of those teams includes the New York Mets, who are reportedly actively shopping for pitchers and have recently been linked to a Pittsburgh Pirates starter.
For the Mets, after having a tough end of June into early July, it looks like they have found their footing once again. Their pitching staff still has good numbers, but with a couple of arms on the Injured List like Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga, the Mets could use another depth starter.
Mets Linked to Pirates’ Mitch Keller
As MLB insiders believe the New York Mets are likely to be buyers come the July 31st deadline, New York has been in talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates about Mitch Keller. After the Chicago Cubs originally had interest, the Mets piggybacked off that thought and also contacted Pittsburgh about Keller. It would make more sense for the Pirates to ship him off to New York rather than division rival Chicago.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar makes the case for why Keller is a good trade option:
“He’s compiled a 3.64 ERA in 18 starts this year, while his 1.194 WHIP would be a career-best mark over the course of a full season. Keller has also been particularly sharp on the mound as of late, owning a 2.40 ERA over his past five starts. The 29-year-old is under contract through the 2028 season after agreeing to a five-year, $77 million extension with the Pirates in Feb. 2024. The Mets could potentially acquire Keller as they manage several injuries on their pitching staff.”
Mets’ Rotation is Belittled with Injuries
As outlined, the New York Mets are battling multiple injuries in their rotation. Tylor Megill is on the Injured List, and recently, Griffin Canning ruptured his Achilles causing him to be out for the rest of the season. All these injuries force the Mets’ hand as the deadline looms. They are a team with one of the highest salaries in baseball, and they are all in this season, attempting to dethrone the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League. As of now, the Mets are a couple of games back of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, but there is still plenty of baseball left to be played.
Keller’s Unique 2025 Season
At the end of June, the reports showed that the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates had engaged in strong talks for Keller, but the New York Mets could certainly overtake Chicago if they put together the right package. For Keller, his 2025 season has been unique. His 3-10 pitching record shows that stat is kind of outdated because he has a 3.64 ERA in 106.1 innings pitched. A really large body of work has not been rewarded because of the abysmal Pirates’ offense.
As with every trade deadline, pitchers are at a premium, and picking up Keller would be a huge addition for the Mets if they were able to get a deal done, and that would give New York four solid options headed into the later stages of the season for their division push.
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