Report: Cubs in trade talks with Pirates |
Dustin Riese
· · 2 hours ago
It's no secret that the Cubs have been and are still searching for starting pitching upgrades, as that could be what makes or breaks the team's season. However, until this team makes a move to upgrade that portion of the roster, it's only smoke and mirrors as Jed Hoyer continues to be a bit too patient for most fans.
Well, things could be changing soon as Bruce Levine not only said that he expects a trade to be made by the Cubs as soon as next week, but it appears the Cubs have now zeroed in on their targets and are starting to exchange names on who they would like to make a run after. As expected, Sandy Alcantara remains at the top of their list, but so does Edward Cabrera, as the Marlins have two promising arms that would make the Cubs' staff better. Miami isn't the only team the Cubs are inquiring about, as the Cubs and Pirates have not only discussed Mitch Keller but have also been discussing David Bednar, leading some to believe a possible two-player deal could be in the works. Any time you trade within your division, some hurdles need to be cleared, but the Pirates are the only team that isn't in the division race. For a team that won't spend money on high-end talent, the Cubs have the prospects to help the Pirates remain young. Confirming Pirates and Cubs have talked about Mitch Keller. @BobNightengale first report of interest.Getting deal done is challenging because of sellers market. One GM said to me 25 teams still feel they have a wild card chance. Keller is a name that will be discussed extensively in the coming weeks, as he is one of those starters who is vastly underrated. Keller isn't the name you would associate with when talking about an ace, but he is someone who would bring in more value than Colin Rea, Ben Brown, and potentially Cade Horton, which is all you can ask for. You add him to the Cubs rotation, and they have a very strong top four that could go toe to toe with a lot of the better teams in the National League come playoff time. Unlike most high-priced deadline arms that are considered hard throwers, Keller has made a living as a pitcher, not just a thrower, as he tends to sit around 94 MPH but can reach up to 96. At 29 years old, Keller is not only in the prime of his MLB career but should have several strong years remaining, which would give the Cubs something to think about long term. With a career record of 37-60, Keller has spent his entire career with the Pirates, so you can't expect his record to be excellent. When discussing Keller, all you have to do is look at his ERA numbers. Despite a career ERA north of 4.50, it's what he has done lately that has stood out. Since the start of 2022, Keller has not only been the most reliable pitcher in the Pirates' rotation but has also been an arm they can count on every fifth day. He won a career high 13 games in 2023 and followed that up with 11 more wins in 2024. This season has been a struggle for Keller as he enters his next start with a 1-10 record, but with an ERA just over 4.00, Keller has been the victim of a lot of bad luck. Adding him to the Cubs' rotation will not only give this team an innings eater, but you should start to see the results improve immediately, as the Cubs' offense is miles better than the Pirates'.
While Keller is the biggest name being discussed with the Pirates, he isn't the only one, as David Bednar has also emerged. That shouldn't come as a surprise to Cubs fans, as they have discussed adding Bednar for the past two seasons and want to bolster the back end of their bullpen. Slightly older than Keller, Bednar is only 30, and there is no reason to believe he won't produce for the next several seasons.
Known for his 98 MPH heater paired with a lethal breaking ball, Bednar was once one of the better relievers in the game as he posted ERAs of 2.23, 2.61, and 2.00 from the years 2021-2023. The 2023 season stands out the most, as he posted a career-best ERA that season while locking down 39 saves.
Since the 2023 season, things have been a struggle for Bednar as he finished the 2024 season with 23 saves, but also a putrid 5.77 ERA. A lot of that had to do with health, as he was never 100% healthy last season; however, a sudden dip in his command was also a major reason for his struggles.
Fast forward to this season, and Bednar had struggled earlier in the season, but since April 19, he has turned it around to become one of the better relievers in the game once again. Since that day, Bednar has posted a 2.03 ERA to bring his season ERA to 2.93 over 26.2 innings. He has achieved this while posting a 36.9% K rate, a 5.8% BB rate, and a 44.8% ground ball rate.
Bednar has been on a massive tear for the past two months, and considering how good he was before 2024, he may be rounding back into his old dominant self. Should he continue to pitch at this level for another three weeks, there isn't a contending team out there that would pass on adding him to their bullpen.
You add him with Daniel Palencia, Brad Keller, and the emergence of Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar, and the Cubs suddenly have one of the best, if not the best, bullpens top to bottom across baseball, which could prove dividends come playoff time.
