Red Sox reportedly made trade call about Pirates starter Mitch Keller
The Red Sox reportedly reached out to Pittsburgh about the 29-year-old right hander, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Keller is only 4-10 over his 22 starts for the Pirates this season, but he touts a 3.69 ERA and 1.205 WHIP. He's gone 3-0 in his last six games (with the Pirates 5-1 in those contests) with a 2.73 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 33 innings pitched.
Keller has spent his entire career with the Pirates, and has gone 40-60 record with a 4.45 ERA over his seven MLB seasons. He was an All-Star in 2023, when he finished the season 13-9 with a 4.21 ERA and 210 strikeouts over 194.1 innings of work.
Keller wouldn't be a summer rental if acquired at the deadline, as he's in the second year of a five-year, $77 million deal.
The Pirates have been dreadful this season, sitting at just 46-62 and in baseball's basement with a league-low 367 runs scored. General manager Ben Cherington is expected to sell off some pieces ahead of Thursday's 6 p.m. deadline, and a number of teams have reached out about Keller, according to Hiles.
The group includes the Yankees, Cubs, and Mets, in addition to the Red Sox. Hiles also noted Keller may not move until the offseason, "a notion one source claims could give the club better odds of landing an established big-league hitter in return."
The Red Sox have an established big-league hitter to dangle in Jarren Duran, but are reportedly hanging onto him through the deadline. We'll see if Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow can come up with a package that appeals to the Pirates, or if he'll turn his attention elsewhere to improve the club at the deadline.
The Red Sox currently hold the second American League Wild Card spot, but could use some help in the rotation, the bullpen, and a right-handed bat for the lineup. Breslow likely won't be able to get everything on his wish list, but pitching should be his priortiy.
The Red Sox have a legit ace in Garrett Crochet, but could use some more depth after him. Brayan Bello and Lucas Gioltio have been good as of late, but Walker Buehler has had a frustrating season and Richard Fitts has struggled since returning from injury. Injuries to Tanner Houck, Hunter Dobbins, and Kutter Crawford have further tested Boston's starting depth this season.
Boston is currently the second Wild Card team in the American League, sitting 0.5 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners and 1.5 games behind the New York Yankees.
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US Open will offer the largest purse in tennis history at $90 million
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But I'll step up when I find a lower-rated player in a proven system or scheme who should outscore players selected around him. And that's Engram in a Sean Payton system. I'm nearly three rounds ahead of consensus on his value, and I've been snapping up shares when I need a low-ranked, high-production player at the position. Based on what I've seen from Engram this offseason, I'll even go so far as to say I think he could finish as TE8. Hear me out before rage-closing this article. There is zero, and I mean zero, chance Amari Cooper isn't signed shortly and with a team possessing a quality quarterback. If I'm wrong, you can read me the Riot Act, and I'll be accountable. But for competitive fantasy teams, pick Cooper up now for next to nothing before the coming news he's been signed by the Rams, Bills (again) or maybe even the Vikings. I'm far more interested in the first two teams. Cooper isn't a WR1 or WR2 but a potential WR3, especially if catching passes from Matthew Stafford. 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Benson can be a workhorse back and, thus, a potential RB1. Conner is on the wrong side of 30, while Benson remains the future of the ground game in the desert. If the Cardinals finish poorly again, they could use a first-round selection on a running back, but if I'm a betting man, I don't think they'll draft Benson's replacement. Allgeier recently turned 25 and is in the last year of his contract. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry in 2024, and I'm eagerly watching where he lands in 2026. I wasn't a fan of Allgeier's game until watching him during his rookie season. I saw things I hadn't seen in his collegiate career. He has the chops to be a starter, and his hands are much better than advertised. Add him now as a 2026 stash. Wilson is a hard-working receiver in what should be a starting role in 2025. He redshirted his rookie season but now finds himself healthy, with Aaron Rodgers under center. The second-year player has to be giddy about his chance to learn the game from a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I'm not suggesting Wilson will become the next great WR2, but he's smart and young and will see the field — enough to stash him. The best part is he's free in many leagues. Johnson may rise more in my rankings with my next update. He's the TE1 for the Giants, and Malik Nabers plays across from him. Russell Wilson will get the nod under center to begin the year, and you can bet Johnson, still only 24, will get a lot of looks in the offense. Every year, at least one low-ranked TE rises out of anonymity, and Johnson is a fine candidate to be that player in 2025. While I have Darnold ranked lower than consensus, I still consider him a sleeper. He finished 2025 somewhere near QB7 with Justin Jefferson as his primary target. He can still be a valuable performer in Seattle, where Jaxon Smith-Njigba is in the WR1 role. I've always thought Darnold was a much better quarterback than his NFL situations allowed. He wasn't even on the radar until Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell proved Darnold could be a producer. I remain intrigued by Darnold as a low-cost acquisition target. Palmer is a deep-sleeper veteran in a new situation. He wasn't bad for the Chargers, but struggled with injuries and never had a true role. Now in Buffalo, on the receiving end of passes from Josh Allen, I wouldn't be surprised if he leads the team in targets and is a viable WR3, well above his current ranking. He may be on your waiver wire, but if he's not, you can offer a three-legged chicken for the rights to spin the wheel with Palmer. If you have questions, head to the comment section; I enjoy interacting with my readers. You can also follow me on Twitter and Threads: @DLF_Jeff. (Photo of Jameson Williams: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. 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