Pirates Open to Trading Star Pitchers

Keller is a veteran arm that teams would desire and who the Pirates could build a trade package around for a big-time bat.

He is also one of the more consistent pitchers in baseball, making made at least 29 starts over the past four seasons and at least 31 starts the past three seasons.

Keller had 17 quality starts in 2025, tied for 17th most in baseball and he ranked 13th in innings pitched amongst National League pitchers.

The other three pitchers, Mike Burrows, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones are more surprising, but could also join Keller in a trade package.

Burrows reportedly received trade interest from the Houston Astros, according to Rosenthal, but the trade talks "cooled" after the Oviedo trade.

He had a 2-4 record in 19 starts over 23 appearances with the Pirates in 2025 as a rookie, with a 3.94 ERA over 96.0 innings pitched 97 strikeouts to 31 walks, a .243 batting average allowed and a 1.24 WHIP.

Chandler is probably the least likely to move, finally joining the Pirates in 2025 as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

He has a great arsenal, with a fastball that reaches 100+ mph, a changeup that goes around 90 mph and a slider in the same range, achieving success with his offspeed pitches.

Chandler dominated in his final three starts of 2025, giving up just two runs on seven hits over 16.2 innings pitched with no walks and 19 strikeouts.

Jones is working back from internal brace surgery, which is a less invasive surgery than Tommy John, but still knocked him out the entirety of 2025. His return is somewhere around March-May 2026.

He had a solid 2024 season with a 6-8 record, 22 starts, 4.14 ERA in 121.2 innings pitched, 39 walks to 132 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP.

This also included a sub-3.00 ERA in his first nine starts and had a 3.56 ERA through early July, but a right lat strain hurt his season, finishing with a 5.87 ERA over his last six starts.

Burrows is more likely than the other two, but for the right trade package, it looks like all of these pitchers could move this offseason.

The only name not mentioned amongst the Pirates younger pitchers was Braxton Ashcraft, who had a strong rookie season in 2025, working mostly as a relief pitcher.

Ashcraft finished with a 4-4 record over 26 appearances and eight starts, a 2.71 ERA over 69.2 innings pitched, 71 strikeouts to 24 walks, a .239 opposing batting average and a 1.25 WHIP.

Who are the Pirates Targeting in Trades?

Pittsburgh served as one of the worst hitting teams in baseball in 2025, something they're looking to fix next season.

The Pirates had the lowest slugging percentage (.350) and OPS (.655), the third lowest batting average (.231) and the eighth lowest on-base percentage (.305).

Pittsburgh also scored the least runs (583) and drove in the least RBIs (561), both lower than the 43-119 Colorado Rockies. They also hit the least home runs (117), 31 home runs less than then second-lowest team in the St. Louis Cardinals at 148 home runs, and had the seventh most strikeouts (1,422).

The Pirates have reportedly targeted not just hitters, but left-handed batters, who will have an easier time hitting home runs at PNC Park, with the right field wall closer than the left field wall.

St. Louis has a few left-handed batters the Pirates want, including the in Alec Burleson, Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman.

Pittsburgh is also looking at left-handed hitting second basemen in trades like Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets and Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Pirates have also been in on Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos, who is a veteran bat.

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is one of the top players on the trade market and also someone the Pirates could go after.

The Diamondbacks also need pitching, so they are a good trade partner for someone like Marte.