Jul 8, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) pitches during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Pirates Shouldn't Bite On Rumored Mitch Keller Trade

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Jan 10, 2026 1:32 PM ET

Heading into the 2026 season, many Pittsburgh Pirates fans were left wondering if Mitch Keller was going to be part of this rotation or not.

Now, Heavy is reporting a one-for-one trade that sees Keller head to the Atlanta Braves for Sean Murphy.

Murphy's contract is a bit steep at $73 million, but it's not like the 2023 All Star or 2021 Gold Glove Award winner is a bad player.

Whether or not he's worth that much remains to be seen, especially coming off a hip injury that still leaves him attached to question marks. At the end of the day, the Pirates must keep Keller.

Mitch Keller For Sean Murphy is a Bad Trade

TJ French tried to push this as an even trade for both parties, but this would be a move that sets the Pirates back big time. If they want to move on from Keller, that's not a problem, but this isn't the top trade they should be exploring.

Murphy's injury and steep price tag are two easy indicators that this move could go south rather quickly. It's not like Keller is cheap himself at $77 million, but he's a far more reliable option and one that Pirates could likely use as leverage elsewhere.

If anything, the Pirates should at least keep him until the deadline and then decide what is best for them moving forward. Keller still has a lot to give this team, and that's exactly why he's under contract through 2028. No one expects him to remain in Pittsburgh until then, but that doesn't mean they should get rid of him for the first offer that comes their way.

Sean Murphy is Not Worth It

Murphy spent his first four seasons in Oakland before joining the Braves. He's coming off back to back seasons where he played fewer than 100 games with a batting average south of .200. His WAR and OPS went up quite significantly from 2024 to 2025, but that doesn't excuse everything else.

No matter how good Murphy is defensively, the Pirates just don't need a catcher that bad. There's no world where this is an immediate trade that needs to happen. Obviously, Atlanta knows Murphy's status more than anyone else and is going to do everything in their power to cover that up. This trade could turn into a disaster for Pittsburgh, and it's one they must avoid at all costs.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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