Yankees' latest rumors hint they've picked their favorite Pirates trade target

The Mitch Keller sweepstakes are getting very interesting 10 days away from the MLB Trade Deadline. Noah Hiles dropped an interesting update on Keller's market this afternoon on YouTube, mainly discussing the New York Yankees picking up steam for the right-hander's services.

"It seems like the Yankees are really gaining steam on Keller," Hiles reported on his YouTube stream. "I don't know if I would put them in the driver's seat - the frontrunner, if you will. It seems like there is more smoke connecting him to the Yankees."

Hiles added that the Mets are still interested and that Keller is not the Cubs' first option, believing "they are looking to add a rental starting pitcher, not a long term option." He's also heard about another mystery American League team in the mix, but is waiting to announce which team that is.

Pirates' insider Noah Hiles reveals interesting trade update between Mitch Keller and the Yankees.

Taking all this in, the Yankees appear to have a lot of momentum in this particular market. There are a lot of interesting opportunities that this could lead to for Pittsburgh, including multiple players that could make an impact to the big league roster. Spencer Jones, a higher-upside prospect that New York may be hesitant to move on from, could be involved in talks for a pitcher like Keller, with so many years of control attached. Multiple insiders believe that Keller would land a top-100 prospect, and Jones has that kind of ceiling. This would be an absolute dream scenario.

If Cherington goes his traditional "quantity over quality" route and rewards the Yankees for taking on Keller's contract, hitting prospects such as Everson Pereira, Rafael Flores, and Jesus Rodriguez could all be possible pieces to a package. There is also the pitching route, where the Pirates add another talented young arm like Cam Schlittler or Brock Selvidge.

The Yankees have been linked to nearly every Pirates player on the trade market, from Ke'Bryan Hayes and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to David Bednar and Dennis Santana.

This trade deadline could be one of the wildest of any under Cherington. The fanbase doesn't even want him to manage this club's resources anymore, and he is on the hot seat. If he doesn't save himself with quality returns, he could be jobless by August. The Yankees' latest momentum on Keller could definitely determine the future of Cherington in Pittsburgh.