MLB Rumors: Mitch Keller, Pirates Agree to 5-Year, $77M Contract Extension
February 22, 2024
Mitch Keller will remain in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future.
The veteran right-hander and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to a five-year contract extension, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel.
Keller's new deal is worth $77 million, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
The pitcher was previously slated to become a free agent following the 2025 season. His deal is the second largest in Pirates history behind Bryan Reynolds' eight-year, $106.75 million extension signed in 2023.
The 27-year-old's deal comes after he told reporters earlier this week that he was "looking forward" to extension talks with the Pirates and that he wanted to remain in Pittsburgh for the long haul.
"This is all I've known, all I've been through," Keller said. "I wanna win here, man. I really do."
Keller will continue to anchor a Pittsburgh rotation that also includes Bailey Falter, Marco Gonzales, Quinn Priester and Martin Pérez. JT Brubaker and Johan Oviedo are expected to miss the 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The Iowa native put together a breakout 2023 season, going 13-9 with a 4.21 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 210 strikeouts in 194.1 innings across 32 starts en route to his first All-Star selection. His 210 strikeouts ranked 10th in Major League Baseball and fifth in the National League.
The Pirates selected Keller in the second round of the 2014 draft out of high school.
In 102 games (100 starts) across five seasons in Pittsburgh, he has a 25-38 record, 4.71 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 521 strikeouts in 523.2 innings.
The Pirates play their first game of spring training on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. It's unclear when Keller will take the mound.
Pittsburgh opens the regular season on March 28 against the Miami Marlins, and Keller has already been named the Opening Day starter.