The Toronto Blue Jays are in need of some pitching reinforcements. They have a 2 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East.
They recently went on a 10-game winning streak, which allowed them to take first place in the AL East after sitting in fourth place at the end of May.
The Blue Jays will almost certainly be buyers at the trade deadline. They have needs to fill on their roster as they prepare for a second-half push.
Jeff Passan of ESPN listed players that each team above .500 should acquire at the deadline. For the Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller was listed.
“Adding Keller solves multiple problems at once. The 29-year-old is producing the best season of his seven-year career with the Pirates, averaging nearly six innings a start and giving up only seven home runs in 106⅓ innings. The Blue Jays need rotation help,” Passan wrote.
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Keller is putting together a solid season with the Pirates. He is 3-10 due to a lack of run support, but sports a 3.58 ERA in 19 starts and also has posted a 1.7 WAR.
The former All-Star could be the perfect fit for the Blue Jays as they try to address their rotation problems in the second half. Adding a high-end arm such as Keller could be the difference for the Blue Jays as they try to pull away in the AL East.
The team hasn’t won the division since 2015, but their first division title since then is right within their grasp.
Keller was an All-Star back in 2023 when he won 13 games with Pittsburgh. He made his debut in 2019 and has been with the Pirates for seven seasons.
It will be interesting to see if Toronto makes an attempt to acquire him.
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