Ben Cherington's latest Mitch Keller comments reveal how much Pirates are banking on a rebound

Entering 2026, the Pittsburgh Pirates believed they could count on Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller. Everything else was a question mark. Things couldn't be further from the truth. Skenes wasn't Skenes-like for a good chunk of the season, but even in mortal form he was still more good than bad. Keller, though? Well, that was a different story.

For nearly his entire career, Keller had been a reliable innings eater. He wasn't flashy, but he got the job done and could keep a team in games. That is, until this year, when he made 22 starts and posted a 5.29 ERA before hitting the IL in August with a teres major muscle injury that ended his season.

Long the subject of trade rumors, Keller's value evaporated in a flash. Still, there was some thought that the Pirates would try to trade him again this winter, if only to dump some salary in order to pursue upgrades elsewhere. Ben Cherington just put an end to that line of thinking.

“Bottom line, we need more from Mitch in 2027 to accomplish our goals,” Cherington said at the MLB GM Meetings. “He knows that. That’s not putting pressure on anything. That’s just a fact. I’m saying that because I believe he can do that. We know the talent that’s there. We know the competitor that’s there. We have to do the work to help him. He has to do the work to put himself in that position to deliver more. … I’m excited about what Mitch will do for the Pirates in 2027.”

The Pirates can't put all their eggs in the Mitch Keller basket if they hope to contend in 2027

There's something to the idea that Keller can rebound in 2027. He has a long track record of producing, and he's only 30 years old. He also admitted that he never felt healthy all season, even before he hit the IL. His velocity dip, posting an average fastball velocity of 93.4 miles per hour this year versus a 94.6 miles per hour average for his career, seems to bear that out.

The question then would be: can he get healthy, or will this become a lingering, chronic issue? One would think he could, but betting on that is a risk.

However, Cherington's support of Keller doesn't make sense in light of other things he said during the same session. He mentioned one of Pittsburgh's bigger needs was adding a left-handed starting pitcher. The rotation is entirely right-handed, allowing opposing teams to stack their lineups with lefties without fear. On top of all of that, southpaws typically have a better time pitching in PNC Park.

If the Pirates sign a lefty starter, where would he slot in? Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft, and Jared Jones are locks. One would imagine that Bubba Chandler will be given the opportunity to improve in his sophomore season. If you're counting on Keller, then the rotation is full.

There's another possibility. This is the season of smokescreens and posturing. Cherington could be throwing his support behind Keller in order to ease concerns of teams that might be interested in the veteran right-hander. If that's the case, then it's a smart move.

If Cherington is being sincere, though, he needs to have a backup plan in case Keller falters. There's no guarantee he returns to form in 2027, and if there's no Plan B, the Pirates could sink thanks to a failure to address a pretty obvious rotation hole.

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