As the trade deadline creeps dangerously closer, teams with playoff dreams are scanning the league for the missing links. And one name, though not the flashiest of names, has become one of the most talked-about arms in the rumor mill. Both the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets are reportedly circling the same guy from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Mets, in particular, are desperate right now. Their pitching staff has been hammered by injuries. From Griffin Canning’s Achilles to Kodai Senga’s hamstring to Paul Blackburn’s shoulder and Sean Manaea’s oblique—all have left huge craters in the rotation. So they need someone who can give them quality innings, eat up starts, and of course keep the postseason hopes alive.

Chicago, meanwhile, is looking to increase the depth for a serious October push. And the pitcher who is getting all the attention is Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller.

Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Noah Hiles, “If the Pirates are indeed going to make a splash over the next month, trading right-hander Mitch Keller looks to be the most likely way they will do it. One source believed Keller’s odds of being moved were as high as 70% heading into July, but those odds could have changed due to recent circumstances…The Chicago Cubs were the first team to reportedly be interested in Keller. The Post-Gazette learned Friday that the New York Mets have also contacted the Pirates about the veteran right-hander.”

Now, don’t let the 3-10 record fool you. Keller has been much better than that. He has a 3.64 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts in just over 106 innings. Plus, he is also tied for the seventh most quality starts in MLB this year. More importantly, he is consistent and dominant, even just recently, like his July 2 start against the Cardinals.

Still, the Pittsburgh Pirates player’s $77 million contract, which means around $15.4 million this year and $52.5 million through 2028, makes him one of the most expensive players on the roster. That price tag could be why the Pittsburgh Pirates consider moving him now, while his value is high, and also the Pirates’ chances at the Wild Card remain small. For now, it seems the Cubs and Mets both may find themselves in a bidding war.

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mitch Keller sets PNC Park strikeout record

Mitch Keller is proving in his outings that he very well does deserve to be the eye of the storm of this bidding war. Because he is pitching like a man with something to prove. In his latest start on July 2 against the St. Louis Cardinals, he tossed seven scoreless innings at PNC Park, throwing 97 pitches while allowing just five hits and striking out seven. However, it was not just another good outing; it was a record-breaking one.

With Keller’s strikeout on the night, he passed Paul Maholm officially to become the all-time strikeout leader at PNC Park with 384 Ks. Post the game, Keller mentioned, “Yeah, it’s a huge honor… It just kind of means I’ve been here the longest, probably, out of anybody. Yeah, it’s definitely cool. Time flies by, honestly. If you told me I’d break a record at PNC Park, I would never even think of that, which is cool. It will probably be really cool when I go back and reflect on it and see how cool it actually is. It’s a special one.” 

And it’s not just about the milestones. Keller has been one of the most consistent arms from Pittsburgh in 2025. Despite a 3-10 record, his 12 quality starts tie him for sixth in all of MLB this season. The Pirates manager, Don Kelly, had nothing but good things to say about Keller. “Congrats to him… He has definitely earned that. He did a phenomenal job today. Seven innings shutout, and he got better, it seemed, as the game went on. Just continued to throw strikes, threw everything for strikes, and commanded both sides of the plate. Just did a great job.”

If Keller keeps pitching like this, it will be tough for the Pirates to part ways, no matter what the trade rumors say.