The Atlanta Braves have made solid progress this offseason in taking care of their biggest priorities. They re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias and strengthened the roster by signing Mike Yastrzemski, Robert Suarez, and Ha-Seong Kim in free agency.
President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has successfully stabilized the bullpen, bolstered the outfield, and filled the hole at shortstop. Still, one key item remains on Atlanta’s offseason to-do list: acquiring another starting pitcher.
Anthopoulos has even acknowledged that the Braves would like to bring in an additional high-impact arm before the offseason concludes, with a potential option being a trade for Pittsburgh Pirates starter.
Braves-Pirates Trade Lands Mitch Keller in Atlanta
If the Braves do not want to commit financially to a starting pitcher, especially if it’s not a top option, then trading for Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller might be a good idea, because he’s a more proven arm that has All-Star capabilities.
SportsTalkATL.com’s Chase Irle recently included Mitch Keller as a top trade target for the Braves to address their remaining needs:
“There’s been a lot of chatter about the Pirates finally spending this offseason in an effort to be more competitive. Until they actually sign a high-priced free agent, that should be viewed as little more than front-office posturing. Keller hasn’t developed into the frontline starter some envisioned when he made the All-Star team in 2023, but he remains a reliable middle-of-the-rotation arm. He’s under contract for three more seasons at $55 million, and starting pitchers at that price point still offer a lot of value.”
Mitch Keller could slot in perfectly as the Braves’ third or fourth option behind Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach.
The 29-year-old starter has made 29+ starts in four straight seasons, and his ERA consistently hovers around the 4.00 mark, but he has proven he can take the ball every fifth day.
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