As of this season, the Chicago Cubs have displayed the kind of performance that naturally manifests itself in championship teams. They are currently topping the NL Central and hold the second-best record in the National League. Despite these, there’s one glaring flaw with the Cubs that’s hard to miss.
The issue lies with the pitching. More precisely, the starting rotation. Their current starting rotation is held by five starters. Mathew Boyd—who has thrown less than 100 innings in a season since 2019, Shota Imanaga—a promising performer, Jameson Taillon—who has been a bit inconsistent, Colin Rea—who is managing but needs some refining and rookie Cade Horton—who is still new to the major leagues.
Well, this rotation doesn’t give the Cubs much reason to feel confident for the October glory. So what should be the next move? MLB insider Jon Heyman weighed in on this recently.
There’s “no savior” among available starting pitchers on the trade market, @JonHeyman says.
With that in mind, Heyman would trade for Mitch Keller or Adrian Houser before Sandy Alcantara. He isn’t interested in Alcantara and his 6.98 ERA.
Listen: https://t.co/XWETllN3lG pic.twitter.com/S38v6doMbv
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) June 30, 2025
As for the trade market for starting pitchers this season, there’s “no savior,” per Heyman. He advised the Cubs to keep an eye on Mitch Keller or Adrian Houser instead of Sandy Alcantara.
You see, Alcantara, who’s also a top candidate for the Dodgers, has a 6.98 ERA. In fact, the drop in his command with 63 strikeouts and 34 walks cannot be ignored. Heyman reckons Mitch Keller and Adrian Houser are better alternatives.
Sure, Keller had a shaky 2-10 record previously; however, that reflected the Pirates’ shortcomings more than his own. Now, he’s right on pace for a solid season with a 3.90 ERA and 77 strikeouts across around 100 innings.
Moreover, Alcantara also has a concerning injury history. Given the fact that the Cubs aren’t just envisioning making the postseason; they want to build themselves for it, the smarter move would be to target a stable arm like that of Keller.
If the Cubs want Mitch Keller, will the Pirates be open to trading him?
The Pittsburgh Pirates currently hold a disappointing 35-50 record and are clearly out of the wild card picture. This trade deadline, they seem open to dealing most of their players. Throughout this season, Paul Skenes was one of those that surfaced across all the trade rumors.
Another such name is Mitch Keller. The right-hander has a proven record as a starting pitcher who could really be available at this trade market. As per Bob Nightengale from USA Today, the Cubs and the Pirates have been discussing this potential deal for a week.
Now, that doesn’t say that this trade will certainly materialize. However, it does reflect that the Pirates are considering trading a phenom like him.
Across the upcoming three seasons, Keller is owed $54.5 million. That does seem like a bargain for a mid-rotation starting pitcher like him. However, the Pirates have an impressive pitching depth. With elite pitchers like Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, and Jared Jones already in their arsenal, trading Mitch Keller might just be a fair idea.
The team could send him off and could use his salary to acquire someone who offers offensive stability that the Pirates require at this moment. And if the Cubs are willing, then it’s highly likely that a deal could materialize. What do you think?
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