Veteran pitcher Brad Keller was little more than an afterthought at this time last year.
He was coming off a 2024 campaign where he went 0-4 with a 5.44 ERA in just 41.1 innings pitched with MLB’s two ‘Sox’ squads. Given that he hadn’t had lower than a 4.57 ERA in each of the past three seasons, it would have seemed more likely that he’d be in the minor leagues than making an impact on a big league team in 2025.
But that could not have been less accurate. After signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Chicago Cubs last offseason, Keller proved to be an invaluable asset out of the bullpen, amassing an elite 2.07 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 68 regular season appearances (69.2 innings pitched). He also produced a 1.59 ERA in five postseason outings, getting crucial outs in high-leverage scenarios for the club.