NY Mets rumors: Amazins connected to controllable pitcher ahead of the trade deadline

Only a week ago, Mitch Keller and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the New York Mets. The victory was only his second of the year but it might be the most deceptive win/loss record in the league. Keller has been a quality innings eater for several seasons. Ignored because he pitches for a lackluster Pirates club, he has emerged as one of the early names to enter Mets rumors ahead of the trade deadline.

According to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Keller has predictably drawn the interest of the Mets who saw him up close recently. The 29-year-old is signed for three more seasons after the current year where his contract comes out to $15.41+ million.

Despite what we saw from the Pirates, they are going to be one of the game’s biggest sellers. Everyone other than Paul Skenes and Andrew McCutchen is expected to be shopped. Keller, with salaries of $16.9 million, $18.4 million, and $20.4 million escalating in each of the next three seasons is someone the team would benefit from dealing now and saving themselves the agonizing pain of losing with in the near future.

Mitch Keller can give the Mets something this year’s team lacks

Although the Mets have Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga on their way back from injuries, the need for an additional starting pitcher has come up in recent weeks. Griffin Canning is done for the season. Tylor Megill’s rehab, and also his placement with the organization, is in question. He serves them best as a depth piece rather than a guy to toss on the mound every five or six days.

Keller, with an increasing salary for a notoriously frugal owner, makes sense to deal now while in the midst of one of his more productive seasons. He is coming off of three years of pitching to an ERA between 3.91-4.25 but with a whole lot of innings eaten up along the way. He logged a career high 194.1 in 2023 in his lone All-Star campaign. Last season he finished at 178 which by today’s standards is exceptional.

Three more years of control is what helps make Keller more appealing than anything else. The Mets can get a head start on building next season’s rotation by adding him now. Manaea, Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and a likely to opt in Frankie Montas are all under contract for next year. Keller gives them a sixth choice and room to make some bigger decisions.

Needless to say, Keller should be one of the most sought-after arms on the market. A problem with Mets starting pitchers this year has been length. Keller is averaging 5.8 innings per start. Only the team’s workhorse, David Peterson at 6 innings per start, has averaged more.

A far greater necessity for the Mets is to add a bullpen arm but consider this: get a pitcher who can get you 18 outs and you need one less reliever to get you through the sixth inning. Keller has long been thought of as the next great Pirates pitcher who’ll have his best years somewhere else. Following in the footsteps of Gerrit Cole and Joe Musgrove as well as probably a few others you could make the case fit this description, this would be one of the most exceptional Mets rumors to come true if the team is serious about building the best roster possible.