Pirates Sign Mitch Keller to Five-Year, $77 Million Extension
The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to terms with star pitcher Mitch Keller to stay as their ace of the future. On Thursday morning, the Pirates signed the 27-year-old to a five-year contract extension worth $77 million. This contract marks the second largest contract given out by the Pirates in franchise history behind Bryan Reynolds’ eight-year, $106.75 million contract.
Keller was drafted out of Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut back in 2019, where he just got his feet wet throwing 48 innings. Keller entered the Pirates’ rotation in 2021, where he struggled. He posted a 6.17 ERA in 100 innings pitched. Fortunately for him, Keller was able to bounce back in 2022, where he posted a career-low 3.91 ERA and 0.8 home runs per nine innings.
Keller earned his money last season when he broke out with a career year. Keller posted a 4.21 ERA in 194.1 innings pitched. He had an impressive 1.24 walks/hits per Inning (WHIP) and struck out 210 hitters. His outstanding 2023 season resulted in Keller’s first all-star appearance. Keller is sure to be handed the ball on opening day for Pittsburgh when they open the 2024 season in Miami to take on the Marlins. He will headline a rotation mixed with young and veteran pitchers. Veterans like Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales will follow behind Keller, and then young guys Bailey Falter and Luis Ortiz will round out the Pittsburgh starting five-man rotation.
The Pirates are expected to go through another rebuilding year in 2024 while they continue to develop young players like infielder Oneil Cruz, catcher and first-overall pick Henry Davis, and outfielder Josh Palacios; they are also hoping for a breakout year from talented third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. The future is beginning to look bright for a franchise that has not made the playoffs since 2015 and who has not won a playoff game in over a decade. However, they made another step in the right direction by locking up the ace in their rotation for years to come in, Mitch Keller.
