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Cubs Engaged in 'Serious' Trade Talks for $77 Million All-Star Starter

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Chicago Cubs are one of many teams looking to acquire a starting pitcher at the MLB trade deadline. With tough competition expected, the Cubs are already getting deeply involved in trade conversations.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cubs are engaged in serious trade talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates for veteran starter Mitch Keller. The Keller to Chicago connection is already known, but this report further indicates that these trade negotiations are active and serious.

"The Pittsburgh Pirates have been engaged in serious trade talks for more than a week with the Chicago Cubs about starter Mitch Keller," wrote Nightengale.

Keller is in the second year of a huge five-year, $77 million extension. He's under team control through 2028, so if the Cubs did acquire him, he'd be a whole lot more than a one-year rental.

The 29-year-old righty is in his seventh MLB season, and despite his 2-10 record, he's putting together a solid year. In his 17 starts, Keller has a 3.90 ERA and 1.3 WAR. His ERA and win-loss record aren't indicative of his actual performance.

The Pirates' defense ins't great, which has raised Keller's ERA on the year. His 3.90 ERA falls to a 3.33 FIP. But the more pressing issue for Keller is his lack of run support.

In his 17 starts this season, Keller has received 2.65 runs per game from the Pirates' offense. That ranks as the 5th-worst run support in baseball, with fellow Pirates pitcher Andrew Heaney receiving the lowest run support in baseball at 2.19 runs per game.

Compared to the Pirates, the Cubs have a significantly better defense and offense. Those two combined would give Keller significantly better support, and would likely make his season totals look a lot better

While the Cubs may have to give up a decent amount to get him, Keller would be a nice addition to their rotation. Shota Imanaga is back, and Matthew Boyd has been great, but the rest of the rotation is suspect.

Adding Keller for the next three and a half seasons is something the Cubs are serious about pulling off. This early in the trade deadline process, the Cubs have been engaging in trade conversations for weeks with the Pirates.

With the Cubs' strong interest in Keller, there's a chance that Chicago lands the Pirates starter to bolster their rotation. They've been exploring pitcher trades for some time, and Keller is a strong possibility based on Nightengale's report.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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