The St. Louis Cardinals are in an interesting place as the offseason gets underway. Rather than try and build a contender for 2026, they are focused on rebuilding, but Chaim Bloom won’t shy away from big moves if it means that St. Louis can still satisfy their long-term plan.
The team needs pitching more than anything else, particularly starting pitching. They can accomplish this via trade or free agency.
But if they are going to trade Sonny Gray, they need to find somebody to replace his presence in the rotation. Derrick Goold mentioned that since the Cardinals are more willing to trade within the National League Central under Bloom, Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller could be an option.
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Cardinals-Mitch Keller Fit Comes With Major Caveat
Sep 19, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
“The Pirates have a starter, right-hander Mitch Keller, who meets some of the traits the Cardinals are looking for in their search for a rotation addition,” Goold wrote.
Keller went 6-15 with a 4.19 ERA in 32 starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates this year. However, he was often a victim of a lack of run support, as the Pirates offense doesn’t have much firepower.
He is signed through 2028, so he has three years of club control left, which is something the Cardinals are looking for. In terms of what he would bring to the table, he shouldn’t disrupt the Cardinals plans to rebuild.
However, one issue may present itself. The Cardinals need to also strengthen their farm system and build it up with some more prospects. The Pirates will likely ask for a haul of prospects in return, and with the Cardinals rebuilding, that might not be the best choice.
Right now, the main goal isn’t necessarily contending in 2026, so the Cardinals do need to still have an eye on their future rather than making a big splash for next season.
As Bloom said in his first press conference, there may be some short-term sacrifices, and that is necessary for the position the Cardinals are in now.
So, while Keller would make them a better team, that isn’t what they need to be focused on right now. They could potentially balance competing and rebuilding, but there are other options in free agency that would make more sense than a trade for Keller.
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