Cubs Interested in Pirates' All-Star Mitch Keller to Bolster Rotation for Playoff Push originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Locked in a tight NL Central race with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs will do anything to separate themselves from the pack. They have not reached the playoffs or won the division since 2020. Chicago’s best player, Kyle Tucker, is an impending free agent, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is in the final year of his contract. The combination of timelines leads to immense pressure to win and capitalize on Chicago’s best team in half a decade.

One area Chicago has been open about wanting to improve is the starting pitching staff. Shota Imanaga is back from injury and looks like a playoff rotation ace. Matthew Boyd is in the second year of a career renaissance, and Jameson Taillon, although inconsistent, has provided much-needed innings for a rotation bit by the injury bug.

Despite a solid three-man rotation, the Cubs know they need to add and have a laundry list of targets, including Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mitch Keller, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic.

Keller, 29, is in the middle of a career season. Through 20 starts, the veteran has a 3.48 ERA with 92 strikeouts and his lowest WHIP since becoming a mainstay in Pittsburgh's rotation. One of the key reasons for Chicago’s interest in Keller, outside of his pitching, is the years of control remaining on his contract.

The former All-Star is in the second season of a five-year, $77 million contract. With the Pirates set on saving money, moving off Keller’s contract feels inevitable – whether at the trade deadline or during the offseason. For Chicago, Keller would become the missing cog in their rotation this season, but also solidify their starting five once Justin Steele returns from Tommy John Surgery in 2026. While the Cubs may not want to commit money to a roster that Hoyer could no longer be in charge of, Keller is making an average of $18.5 million per season through 2028 – a far cry from breaking the bank.

Keller’s recent outings against the Brewers should also give the Cubs further incentives to strike a deal with their inner-division rival. In his last three starts against Milwaukee, Keller has a 2.12 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 17 innings.

As the Cubs approach the trade deadline, Keller’s season-long performance, years of control, and success against the Brewers make him a near-perfect trade target.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.

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