5 MLB bats the Pirates could target from each projected Mitch Keller suitor

Even after the Johan Oviedo trade, it still looks like the Pittsburgh Pirates will look to trade from their surplus of starting pitchers. The most likely arm to be moved is still Mitch Keller, surprising exactly no one.

However, instead of a prospect like Jhostynxon Garcia, Keller is likely to be moved in exchange for a big league bat. That was the sentiment that Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel expressed prior to the trade with Boston, and now, with a major league-ready prospect in the fold like Garcia, it is doubly true.

Five primary suitors have emerged for Keller: the New York Mets, the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Athletics. The likely return will be a hitter in the same salary range as Keller, who will make $16.9 million in 2026, $18.4 million in 2027, and $20.4 million in 2028.

That means we're looking at players in the $15-$20 million range, give or take. What does each team have to offer and does it make sense?

Five major league hitters who could be salary matches to swap for Pirates starter Mitch Keller

New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil

Jeff McNeil will make $15.75 million in 2026, making him a near-perfect salary match. Much more than just a second baseman, McNeil spent time at second, first, and all three outfield positions last season, giving the Pirates options on how to best deploy their lineup should they acquire him.

Slashing .243/.335/.411 with 12 homers in 2025, McNeil produced 2.1 fWAR in 2025, making him a near-match for Keller's 2.5 fWAR as well. McNeil has a club option for the same amount for 2027, which would likely be declined. The question then is, do the Pirates want to swap Keller for what is likely a one-year rental? Do they prefer to have the salary come off the books, or would they rather have a longer-term piece as the return for Keller?

Texas Rangers outfielder/DH Joc Pederson

Making $18.5 million in 2026, Joc Pederson is in the same situation as McNeil with a mutual option for 2027. The 33-year-old lefty slugger is coming off an absolutely dismal 2025 in which he hit .181/.285/.328 with nine homers, but he's also only one year removed from a .275/.393/.515 23-homer campaign.

Pederson doesn't hit lefties and really can't play the field anymore, but if he can rebound to his previous form, he could be a dangerous bat in Pittsburgh's order. As it stands, Texas might have to attach a lottery ticket or something, though, to get the Pirates to take him after such a poor showing.

Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker

Christian Walker has a hefty $20 million salary in each of the next two seasons, and after a poor 2025 that saw him post a 99 wRC+, there's a question of how much he'd actually interest the Pirates. He'll also be going into his age-35 season, so there's no long-term upside here.

However, he still managed 27 homers last season and posted a .799 OPS in the second half, so there's a chance of a rebound here. Like Pederson, Houston might have to attach a sweetener to make a deal go down.

Los Angeles Angeles outfielder/DH Jorge Soler

If you're noticing a trend, you're not wrong. Jorge Soler is yet another veteran power bat coming off a difficult 2025. Owed just $13 million for 2026, he's one of the cheaper options, but his limited defensive value and age (he's entering his age-34 season) squeeze out some of his value.

A back injury limited Soler to just 82 games, and his 88 wRC+ was one of the worst marks of his career. Like the others, however, he was a productive bat for the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves in 2024, slashing .241/.338/.442 with 21 dingers. He also has a 48-homer season on his resume from back in 2019 with the Kansas City Royals. In a straight-up deal, he'd be a pretty bad value for Keller, though.

Athletics outfielder/DH Brent Rooker

The Athletics and the Pirates share the distinction as two of the stingiest teams in the league, making it hard to find a true salary match for Keller. The only two hitters who kind of fit the bill are Brent Rooker or Lawrence Butler. Butler is only 25 and is the cheaper of the two options, so let's take him off the table.

Rooker will make just $8 million in 2026, but his contract escalates, topping out at $19 million in 2029. There's also a $22 million vesting option for 2030, which has some pretty easy-to-achieve triggers.

Of all the hitters on the list, Rooker is the most impactful. He's posted three-straight 30-plus homer seasons, and slashed .262/.335/.479 in 2025. By fWAR, he's a match for Keller at 2.4 versus 2.5, but will the Athletics see it that way? He's also the longest-term commitment in this group. Would that scare the Pirates away?

All of that is unclear, but what is easy to see is that out of all the candidates that fit our criteria, Rooker is the best option, even if he's basically a DH-only player moving forward.