Pirates offseason choices have made this trade proposal a nonstarter

The trade rumors surrounding Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller have gone on so long that it still feels like a question of when, not if, the veteran starter will be dealt. Of course, it felt that way at the trade deadline, too, and we all know that didn't come to fruition.

Throughout the early part of the offseason, the pundits were bullish on a Keller trade, and it seemed as if more and more teams were eyeing the soon-to-be 30-year-old.

Pittsburgh's motivation for a trade seemed to change slightly. While the deadline rumors were mostly about clearing payroll, and the amount of money a potential partner would have to take on was a key sticking point, moving on from Keller this offseason seemed to be more about trading from a deep group of starters in order to improve a weak lineup.

The Pirates shouldn't be done with adding to their lineup, but they've made tremendous strides without trading their perceived best chip. In fact, the reality the club now finds itself in makes trading Keller seem questionable for the first time in a long time. That's made it hard for some to adjust their expectations.

The Pirates trading Mitch Keller has become a non-starter due to the choices the club has made this winter

There are some who would still like to see Keller traded, with a proposal being floated by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report that would send Keller to the Athletics in exchange for a trio of youngsters: outfielder Colby Thomas, shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, and utility man Brennan Milone.

There are 49 games of big league experience between the three players, all coming on Thomas' register, and none of those players do much to truly move the needle. Thomas would struggle to break into a Pirates' outfield that features Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, Jake Mangum, and Jhostynxon Garcia. Kuroda-Grauer, the Athletics' No. 10 prospect, would be the real prize, but his ceiling is limited as a high-contact, non-existent power shortstop, while Milone (No. 25) is a bench player at best in the majors.

This isn't so much about the so-so return, however, as it is about the process. The Pirates have already dipped into their starting pitching depth twice, trading Mike Burrows in the deal that landed Brandon Lowe and Johan Oviedo in the move to acquire The Password.

Given the thinning of the herd, we've reached the point where Ben Cherington now has adding to the starting rotation as one of Pittsburgh's top remaining priorities. Trading Keller would be the antithesis of that.

It might seem like an alternate reality, but we've now reached the point where Keller has more value to the Pirates than he does on the trade market. As the staff's greybeard, he's a valuable veteran presence who can mentor the young arms coming up. A durable and consistent performer, he can provide stability in the event that youngsters like Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft falter.

Keller is now a necessity rather than a superfluous part. If we find the Pirates are woefully out of the race by July, he can still be moved at the deadline, but for now, he's integral to the new-look roster finding the success the club desires.