Cubs Would ‘Love to Get Their Hands On’ Rival Mitch Keller at Deadline

Chicago Cubs know that they have an excellent opportunity to win the National League central this year. However, they will have to get reinforcements next month to help make this possible.

Currently, Chicago has only three game advance on the Cardinals of Saint-Louis. The start of pitching is an area of ​​need for Cubs, and the initiate of MLB, Bob Nighingale, noted that they had an eye on the start of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mitch Keller.

“The Cubs of Chicago, who dominated the Central NL but who saw their lead get closer to comfort, is one of the teams that would like to get their hands on (Mitch) Keller and (David) Bednar,” wrote Nighingale. “ They traveled the market for a starter, keeping an eye on Alcantara (2 and a half years remaining on his contract of $ 56 million over five years), Keller (3 and a half years remaining on his agreement of five years and 70 million dollars) and Luis Severino of athletics (2 and a half years remaining on his three -year contract and $ 67 million). “”

Keller was one of the most unlucky launchers this season, because his support for the race was at the best minimal. The pirates scored three points or less in his last nine departures, because the offensive did nothing for him.

His time this season is only one in four touch, so there is certainly room for improvement. Cubs believe they can bring Keller to the level they need for a World Series race as they saw several times in 2023 when he was an All-Star.

However, there are two factors that complicate any potential agreement. First and foremost, the pirates will be very reluctant to exchange Keller to a division rival. The exchange will be a difficult decision itself, much less strengthening a team that they play 13 times a year.

The other factor is the control of the team. Since Keller is 3 and a half years old before becoming a free agent, the pirate’s request will be very high – essentially a ransom of the king. It is difficult to see the cubs ready to pay this price.

Keller would be a good choice for Cubs, but an agreement at this point looks more like a dream than something that would really happen.

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