Mitch Keller continues to be a hot name as the trade deadline gets closer.

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ starter is only 3-10 this season but is tied for the league lead with 19 starts and has a very respectable 3.58 ERA, which would be by far the lowest of his career.

The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs are among the many teams interested in acquiring Keller from the Pirates. Former Jim Bowden, who now writes for The Athletic, lays out a potential package the Mets could need to land Keller.

Bowden says the Mets should trade infielder Ronny Mauricio and first base/outfield prospect Ryan Clifford to the Pirates for Keller.

Mauricio is in his second season with the Mets and is slashing .230/.295/.402 with three doubles, four home runs, six RBI and a pair of steals in 24 games. The 24-year-old has bounced around the infield in his brief big-league career, primarily between second and third base with Francisco Lindor as New York’s everyday shortstop.

Mauricio is a former top prospect, peaking as high as No. 62 in 2020 on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list, where he had a spot for three seasons. He was considered Baseball America’s 87th-best prospect heading into last season.

Clifford, meanwhile, entered last year as the No. 97 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline but slipped out of the top 100 and to No. 6 on the Mets’ top 30 this season.

In 81 games with Double-A Binghamton this season, Clifford has posted a .239/.354/.482 batting line with 14 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 54 RBI. For his minor-league career, Clifford carries a .244/.372/.453 batting line with 62 home runs and 213 RBI in 351 games between the Mets and Houston Astros organizations.

While the nearly 22-year-old takes his share of walks, he also strikes out a lot. For his career, he carries a 15.5% walk rate and a 28.4% strikeout rate.

Clifford has big power and a big arm but might be limited to first base defensively. As a left-handed hitter, his power will appeal to the Pirates and PNC Park.

Given that Keller is under team control through 2028 at a relatively affordable rate, the Pirates don’t have to be in a rush to trade him. This package seems more on the lighter side, and general manager Ben Cherington could be wise to wait for a more enticing haul.