Pirates Rumors: Pittsburgh loosely linked to Blue Jays for starting pitching trade

The annual MLB Trade Deadline is an event fans start thinking about as early as April, but not in the way Pirates fans might be at the moment. After their terrible start, Pittsburgh is shaping up to be a seller by the time the end of July arrives. A name that is emerging as a possible trade candidate is Mitch Keller, and the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be fit that makes sense.

The 12-26 start is on the verge of making a postseason push almost impossible. The Bucs need to go on some serious win streaks in May and June to salvage their campaign. As for potential sellable assets, Andrew Heaney being on a one-year deal makes him the most likely player to be talked about, but Keller is a sneaky name that may gain some traction.

An article from Bleacher Report discusses Toronto as a suitor for Keller as they are set to have two starters hit free agency after the season. Keller has a team-friendly contract for a middle-of-the-rotation starter, adding a lot of value to him. Sandy Alcantara is another name being discussed as a tradable arm, but he is owed more money than Keller, which makes the Pirates pitcher more valuable.

"Toronto is merely one obvious option, though," Kerry Miller states via Bleacher Report. "Other teams would also be in the mix for the 2023 All-Star who could be a solid No. 3 starter in most rotations. And if the Pirates can save themselves $60 million and bolster their farm system amid another losing season, well, that has been their M.O. for decades, hasn't it?"

Pirates Rumors: Could Mitch Keller be traded at 2025 deadline?

Keller has been a Pirate since getting drafted in 2014 and was one of the team's few All-Stars in recent years. Yes, he would be a loss, but he isn't integral to the Pirates' future plans, making him expendable.

This wave of pitching in Triple-A right now is dominant and there are multiple prospects looking very promising. Bubba Chandler and Hunter Barco are both knocking on the door of their debuts. If both live up to the hype (or close to it) at the MLB level before the deadline, that may push the Pirates further to make a deal.

Maybe this could give Pittsburgh an even stronger rotation in 2026. Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Chandler, and Barco is an incredible start, and maybe they add a veteran to the mix to fill out the back end. If Keller can get you offensive help and you can keep the rhythm going with the rotation, he probably needs to be the top candidate shopped at the deadline.