With the July 31 trade deadline just over a week away, it feels inevitable that the Pittsburgh Pirates will wave the white flag soon and begin their latest fire sale. As things currently stand, Paul Skenes is stuck in Pittsburgh. However, the Pirates are expected to trade the likes of Mitch Keller, Dennis Santana, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Ke’Bryan Hayes over the next 10 days. Former All-Stars David Bednar and Bryan Reynolds also remain popular names in online trade proposals.
Missing from that group? Veteran lefty Andrew Heaney, who allowed seven runs in four-plus innings during Sunday’s 7-2 loss to the White Sox.
“When you fall behind, you don’t have much to get guys out with,” Heaney told reporters. “I guess narrow margin of error. I’ve got to go make better pitches.”
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Andrew Heaney's trade stock takes a major hit for Pirates
It’s been a rough month for Heaney, who owns a 9.40 ERA over his last seven starts. He’s allowed 11 homers and walked 11 in 29 2/3 innings during that time, watching his ERA skyrocket from 3.24 to 5.03.
Which teams could trade for Mitch Keller?
Although Keller entered Monday with a 3-10 record, his 3.48 ERA is his lowest since becoming a full-time starter in 2021. The 29-year-old has lowered his walks per nine innings to 2.0, and he’s only allowed nine homers in 119 innings.
Whichever team acquires Keller will do so knowing they’ll have him under contract through the end of 2028. Keller, who has provided the lowly Pirates with 8.8 bWAR since the start of 2022, inked a five-year, $77 million extension in February 2024.
Don’t be surprised to see Keller become a popular name in the coming days, especially if clubs like the Diamondbacks and Twins decide not to sell at this deadline. The Giants could use another starter given Justin Verlander’s struggles, while injuries have repeatedly ravaged the Dodgers’ rotation all season.
The Yankees and Mets each make sense for Keller, though we’ll see how aggressive the Yankees choose to be this deadline. As for the Mets, could a potential deal involving Keller and Reynolds work given the Mets’ center field needs? Although such a move might cost the Mets multiple top-20 prospects, we’ve seen owner Steve Cohen prioritize championships and the short term in recent years.
We also still expect the Pirates to trade Heaney, though maybe not for the return they imagined two months ago. At least the Pirates still have Skenes … for now.