The best rotation the Pittsburgh Pirates can have in the second half of the season

What would be the best combination of starting pitchers the Pittsburgh Pirates could have in the second half of this season?

Jul 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 5, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Mitch Keller

Mitch Keller stumbled out of the gates to 2024. At the end of April, he had a 5.18 ERA, 4.18 FIP, and 1.48 WHIP. But Keller immediately put things back on track. He then pitched a complete game during his first start in May and has not looked back, looking like an All-Star right-hander since.

He has pitched 74.1 frames with a 2.54 ERA, 3.57 FIP, and 1.13 WHIP. Keller has not struck out a ton of batters and has a 21.2% K%, about 1% worse than average, but he’s limited walks with a 4.8% BB%. He is currently one of only 12 qualified starters with a sub-5% BB% since the start of May. Keller also owns an above-average 0.85 HR/9 during this stretch.

His ability to avoid home runs has been fueled by a strong ability to limit hard contact. Keller has just an 86.9 MPH exit velocity and 5.4% barrel rate since he started to heat up in May. These marks both rank top five among qualified pitchers since the start of May.

Keller has established himself as a quality veteran right-handed starting pitcher. His extension will keep him around for what should be his best years, and he’s done great now that he’s gotten some protection in the rotation alongside Skenes, Jared Jones, and now another pitcher we will talk about later on.

Schedule