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Padres labeled potential fit for $77 million All-Star ace

While the San Diego Padres have a strong group of starters this season, there is still reason to add more help in the rotation. Even with the return of Yu Darvish, the Padres could still benefit from adding a starter.

In The Athletics' latest MLB trade deadline big board, the Padres were named as a potential fit for the Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller. While the baseball world wonders about a Paul Skenes trade, Keller would be a nice get at the trade deadline.

Keller, while not an ace in the traditional sense, can be one, as he showed in the first half of 2023. Before the All-Star break, Keller had a 3.31 ERA and was 9-4 with 129 strikeouts in 117 innings pitched. His strong start earned him an All-Star nod.

But his second-half struggles brought his season ERA to 4.21 on the year. The next season in 2024, Keller had a 4.25 ERA and an 11-12 record in 31 starts.

While not the ideal trade deadline pickup, Keller would be a nice complement to a starting rotation, the exact role he'd slide into if he came to San Diego. But, would the Padres trade their $77 million starter?

"The Pirates have enough young pitching to consider moving one of their more established starters," wrote Tom Britton, Aaron Gleeman, and Chad Jennings, "And Keller has a blend of consistency and contractual control that teams covet."

That team control is a huge reason why this fit works well for the Padres. With Dylan Cease and Michael King set to hit free agency at the end of the year, Keller would be solid insurance if both leave.

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Keller is signed through the 2028 season on a five-year, $77 million deal. That control is perfect for the Padres, as the looming departures of multiple pitchers could gut the team's rotation in no time.

His production this season is also encouraging. Despite being on the Pirates, one of the worst teams in baseball, Keller has a 3.58 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 113 innings pitched. He isn't pitching at his best, but his 1.7 WAR despite his 3-10 record tells a story.

The Pirates' offense and defense are not great, and have led Keller to have a significantly worse record than his performance this season has shown. Taking Keller off the Pirates and bringing him to a competitive team like the Padres would help both parties.

San Diego would land a strong starter who has ace-potential to round out their rotation for the years to come, while Keller would get out of Pittsburgh and the team's lackluster offense.

The Athletic linking the Padres to Keller makes a ton of sense. With long-term uncertainty and short-term injury concerns, Keller would be a great pickup to bolster the Padres' rotation in a potential win-now season.