The New York Yankees need pitching, and which means the Pittsburgh Pirates could become their friends over the next two weeks.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Yankees have checked in on Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller, who is having a phenomenal season despite his 3-10 record.
New York is two games behind the Toronto Blue Jays as the unofficial second half of the season starts with its three-game series in Atlanta. The Yankees have an 89.7 percent chance to make the playoffs per Baseball Reference and a 45.7 percent chance to win the AL East as currently constructed per FanGraphs.
But an addition like Keller would push those chances way up.
Who Is Mitch Keller, and Why Do The Yankees Want Him?
Keller was the recipient of one of the richest contracts in Pirates history, when he signed a five-year, $77 million contract in 2024. After struggling through his first four seasons, the 29-year-old has figured it out by posting a 4.05 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 85 starts despite sporting a 27-31 record in that span.
Like superstar teammate Paul Skenes, Keller has been very much burned by the awful Pirates offense this year, since he is having a career year despite sitting seven games under .500 as of the All-Star Break. Keller ranks 17th in the majors in fWAR among starting pitchers (2.6), leads the majors in starts (20) and has made 30-plus outings in three straight seasons.
Keller would fit right in on the Yankees’ starting-pitching staff as their No. 3 starter since their previous No. 3 Clarke Schmidt was just lost for at least the remainder of this season due to Tommy John surgery.
Given the potential for Schmidt to miss all of 2026 as well, and the fact Keller is locked in through 2028, would give the Yankees insurance beyond this year — especially if ace Gerrit Cole misses some or even most of 2026 after he had Tommy John in March.
Despite Cole and Schmidt’s injuries, the Yankees starting staff has been solid, especially buoyed by Max Fried and Carlos Rodon — each of whom was named an All-Star. But looking toward the playoffs, the Yankees’ options after Fried and Rodon are unsettling.
Marcus Stroman has an ERA north of 6, 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil has not pitched in the majors and Will Warren and Cam Schlittler have never pitched in the postseason.
Given the potential for New York to square off against the pitching-laden Detroit Tigers in the ALCS, it is essential for Yankees GM Brian Cashman to acquire at least one starter before the July 31 trade deadline.
Luckily, Cashman recently said the team will go shopping ahead of the deadline and that pitching would be high on the list o
Who Else Could The Yankees Trade From The Pirates?
The Pirates are 39-58 and wallowing away in the basement of the NL Central again, which makes them one of the few known sellers entering the upcoming deadline.
New York could target third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, if it wanted to consider one-stop shopping to upgrade its black hole at the hot corner — especially since Hayes’ dad Charlie did two stints with the Yankees.
But Hayes is signed through 2030 and is one of the faces of Pittsburgh’s franchise, so pulling off a blockbuster seems unlikely.
The more likely Pirates target for the Yankees would be closer David Bednar, who has 13 saves, a 45-9 strikeout-to-walk rate and a 2.53 ERA.
Bednar has one more year of arbitration eligibility before he will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season, and the Yankees could use another high-leverage arm to join Devin Williams and Luke Weaver at the back end of their bullpen.
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