3 Landing Spots For Mitch Keller if Pirates Trade All-Star

As the Pittsburgh Pirates enter the upcoming offseason, the front office has a lot of work to do across the roster.

After finishing the year 82-80, the Pirates have a few questions to answer that could determine how the team looks next year. Pittsburgh has a few players entering free agency, while also having some trade candidates on the team.

One aspect of the offseason that Pittsburgh has to figure out is what to do with starting pitcher Mitch Keller. Keller has fallen down in the rotation, and there has been plenty of talk about the team potentially trading him this winter.

The right-hander was one of the more reliable arms in baseball over the last few years, but injuries have limited him. This past season, Keller posted a 5.29 ERA over 22 starts.

If the Pirates do trade Keller this offseason, here are three teams that could be interested in landing the former All-Star:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

At first thought, one would likely believe that the Dodgers don't need another starter heading into the offseason. But different injuries over the last year have changed that trajectory.

The Dodgers could land a former All-Star, giving the reclamation project factory another project to work on. Keller could be a back-end starter for this team, helping to eat innings during the long regular season.

2. Chicago White Sox

After reaching the postseason this year, the White Sox could be looking to go after another starter for the 2027 season. Chicago needs to add another arm for the rotation, and Keller could be a good fit for the team.

The White Sox got the least amount of innings of any MLB team from their starting rotation in 2026, and Keller could help that. Keller could eat innings for the team during the regular season, while offering them a former All-Star for the postseason, if they can get back.

3. San Diego Padres

For all of 2026, the Padres had somewhat of a patchwork starting rotation plan, but it seemed to keep them in the hunt for the playoffs. After a busy trade deadline, San Diego did add a few starters, but the team now has multiple guys entering free agency this offseason.

Keller seems like he could be a good fit for the Padres to consider, giving them a reliable starter for the back end of the rotation. And with Keller still under contract past 2027, San Diego wouldn't have to worry about starting over next winter again.