Mitch Keller

Keller gave up six hits with a fifth-inning solo shot from Nolan Gorman representing the lone tally againat him over seven frames. He struck out three and only issued a pair of walks. The 28-year-old righty was far from overpowering, as evidenced by only three swinging strikes in this one, but he was able to avoid consistent hard contact. He'll carry a respectable 3.34 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 108/32 K/BB ratio across 121 2/3 innings (20 starts) into a home outing on Sunday against the Diamondbacks.

Gorman supplied St. Louis' lone run during a low-scoring affair at PNC Park by walloping a fifth-inning solo shot just inside the right-field foul pole off Pirates starter Mitch Keller. It was his 19th round-tripper of the season and lone hit in four at-bats. The 24-year-old slugging second baseman boasts a lackluster .206 batting average this season, but the fact that he's probably going to wind up eclipsing the 30-homer threshold makes him a mixed-league relevant fantasy contributor, even if he's merely a power plus counting stats source.

This was... odd. Keller didn't look great in this one but also not bad by any means. He was pulled with just 57 pitches and the team has given no indication he was injured either. His command was more erratic than usual and maybe someone on the Pittsburgh bench spotted something and wanted him out of the game. This ended a streak of 49 consecutive starts by Keller where he pitched at least five innings.

Coming off consecutive subpar outings, Keller was terrific today, at least aside from a Brandon Nimmo two-run homer. He allowed nothing but singles otherwise, and he wound up with six strikeouts and no walks. Keller improved to 10-5 with a 3.40 ERA. That's about what he was at this time last year, when he made his first All-Star team, but at least for now, he's currently set to stay home next week.

With the 2024 MLB Draft beginning Sunday, theScore looks back a decade and redrafts the first round from the 2014 event.1. Houston Astros Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images Sport / GettyActual pick: Brady Aiken, LHPOur pick: Trea Turner, SSThe Astros already had an elite shortstop in 2014 after selecting Carlos Correa two years prior. Picking Turner, who has amassed 39.5 fWAR throughout his career, would have given Houston one of the top infields in baseball, with Correa likely shifting to third base and Jose Altuve manning second. That trio would have been a nightmare for opposing clubs to face and likely would have caused the Astros to pass on Alex Bregman in the 2015 draft.2. Miami MarlinsActual pick: Tyler Kolek, RHPOur pick: Aaron Nola, RHPIt's possible Nola, who's won 100 games and thrown more than 1,500 innings for the Phillies, could have pitched for someone else in the NL East. Instead, the Marlins used the second overall pick on Texas high schooler Kolek, who never pitched in the majors and was out of baseball by 2019. Nola was scooped up by the Phillies five picks later.3. Chicago White Sox Actual pick: Carlos Rod n, LHPOur pick: Logan Webb, RHPRod n has had a nice career, finishing top-six in Cy Young voting twice and throwing a no-hitter, but Webb is the superior pitcher. The 27-year-old has established himself as one of baseball's top hurlers over the past four seasons, amassing the third-most innings pitched, fifth-most fWAR, and third-lowest FIP among qualified starters.4. Chicago CubsActual pick: Kyle Schwarber, COur pick: Kyle Schwarber, CWe have to agree with the Cubs' pick at four. Schwarber hit 121 homers and posted an .816 OPS for Chicago while playing a big role in its 2016 World Series win. He's since become a fixture in Philadelphia, with consecutive seasons of 46-plus homers in 2022 and 2023.5. Minnesota Twins Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyActual pick: Nick Gordon, SSOur pick: Matt Chapman, 3BSince 2014, the Twins' top performer at third base has been Eduardo Escobar, who amassed 9.2 fWAR at the hot corner during his Minnesota tenure. Things could have been a lot different in the Land of 10,000 Lakes had the Twins selected Chapman, a four-time Gold Glove and two-time Platinum Glove winner, instead of Gordon, who hasn't lived up to expectations and is currently on the Marlins.6. Seattle MarinersActual pick: Alex Jackson, OFOur pick: Dylan Cease, RHPCease, a high schooler, didn't come into his own until 2021, meaning the Mariners could have had another stud arm in their already impressive rotation. Instead, they selected Jackson, an outfielder-turned-catcher who owns a .406 OPS in 99 career games.7. Philadelphia Phillies Actual pick: Aaron Nola, RHPOur pick: Carlos Rod n, LHPWith Nola off the board, the Phillies could have grabbed Rod n, who would have been the best starting option available at this point in the draft had he not already been picked. 8. Colorado RockiesActual pick: Kyle Freeland, LHPOur pick: Michael Conforto, OFConforto had a solid career with the Mets before moving to the Giants, but who knows what kind of numbers he would have put up playing most of his games at Coors Field, where he's posted a career .330/.415/.510 slash line with nine extra-base hits and 13 RBIs in 28 games.9. Toronto Blue JaysActual pick: Jeff Hoffman, RHPOur pick: Brandon Woodruff, RHPHoffman never blossomed into a top-of-the-rotation starter like the Blue Jays hoped, although he did just make the All-Star team as a reliever. They could have had Woodruff, owner of two All-Star appearances and a career 3.10 ERA, here instead.10. New York Mets Norm Hall / Getty Images Sport / GettyActual pick: Michael Conforto, OFOur pick: Jordan Montgomery, LHPMontgomery started his career in New York but could have pitched in Queens instead of the Bronx. The southpaw could have provided the Mets with a dependable innings-eater from the left side. New York's best left-handed starters since 2014 have been Steven Matz, David Peterson, and Jonathon Niese.11. Toronto Blue JaysActual pick: Max Pentecost, COur pick: Jack Flaherty, RHPThe Blue Jays missed by selecting Pentecost, who never played in the majors and hasn't suited up since 2018. Flaherty, meanwhile, has had some dominant campaigns when healthy, including this season's career-high 11.6 K/9 and career-low 3.06 FIP.12. Milwaukee BrewersActual pick: Kodi Medeiros, LHPOur pick: Justin Steele, LHPSteele has blossomed into a Cy Young contender, finishing fifth for the NL version of the award last season. Medeiros has never appeared in the majors, owning a 4.91 ERA in 179 minor-league games.13. San Diego PadresActual pick: Trea Turner, SSOur pick: Rhys Hoskins, 1BWith Turner off the board, the Padres could have landed a slugging first baseman in Hoskins, who has 161 career round-trippers and 448 RBIs.14. San Francisco GiantsActual pick: Tyler Beede, RHPOur pick: Jordan Romano, RHPBeede hasn't amounted to much and continues to bounce around organizations, while Romano turned himself into one of the game's best closers with 105 career saves and 11.2 career K/9.15. Los Angeles Angels Luke Hales / Getty Images Sport / GettyActual pick: Sean Newcomb, LHPOur pick: Alex Verdugo, OFNewcomb didn't pitch a game for the Angels, who traded him to the Braves in a 2015 deal for Andrelton Simmons. Verdugo, who was also part of a big swap involving Mookie Betts, has proven to be a reliable big-league outfielder thanks to a .757 career OPS.16. Arizona DiamondbacksActual pick: Touki Toussaint, RHPOur pick: Mitch Keller, RHPToussaint, like the aforementioned Newcomb, never pitched a game for the team that drafted him. Arizona flipped him to the Braves in 2015. The D-Backs could have had Keller, a one-time All-Star, who's been pretty good in his age-26-28 seasons.17. Kansas City RoyalsActual pick: Brandon Finnegan, LHPOur pick: Lane Thomas, OFThomas has become a 20-20-caliber player who could have manned the outfield for the Royals and potentially fast-tracked their rebuild following the 2015 World Series win. Finnegan, who appeared in the 2014 World Series months after getting drafted, hasn't pitched in the majors since 2018 and currently plays independent ball.18. Washington NationalsActual pick: Erick Fedde, RHPOur pick: Kyle Freeland, LHPFreeland was one of the top arms available in 2014, but he hasn't panned out aside from his stellar 2018 campaign. Perhaps pitching away from Coors Field would have helped his career. One also wonders if the Nationals sign fellow lefty Patrick Corbin in 2018 if Freeland is on the roster.19. Cincinnati RedsActual pick: Nick Howard, RHPOur pick: J.D. Davis, 3BDavis had some nice years for the Mets and Giants and owns a career .768 OPS. Howard never pitched above Triple-A and is currently in High-A for the Braves organization.20. Tampa Bay Rays Sarah Stier / Getty Images Sport / GettyActual pick: Casey Gillaspie, 1BOur pick: Luke Weaver, RHPWeaver has turned into a solid bullpen piece for the Yankees after an inconsistent career as a starter for multiple organizations. Gillaspie is one of those rare draft picks the Rays got wrong. The 31-year-old hit 60 minor-league homers, spent three years in independent ball, and no longer plays. 21. Cleveland GuardiansActual pick: Bradley Zimmer, OFOur pick: Jose Trevino, 3BThe Guardians could have employed one of the top defensive catchers in the game in Trevino, who owns a career 67.5 FanGraphs defensive rating. Instead, they chose Zimmer, who's strong defensively in his own right but has been used more as a bench piece throughout his career.22. Los Angeles DodgersActual pick: Grant Holmes, RHPOur pick: Ryan Yarbrough, LHPHolmes recently surfaced in the big leagues with the Braves after spending 10 years in the minors. Meanwhile, Yarbrough has pitched meaningful innings for contenders like the Rays and Dodgers.23. Detroit TigersActual pick: Derek Hill, OFOur pick: Erick Fedde, RHPHill has appeared in 121 big-league games with the Tigers and Rangers but is more of a glove-first type with a career 73 OPS+. Fedde has transformed into a solid big-league starter after turning around his career in Korea.24. Pittsburgh PiratesActual pick: Cole Tucker, SSOur pick: Tanner Scott, LHPTucker hasn't amounted to much in the bigs and was recently outrighted to the minor leagues by the Angels, his fourth organization. Scott is a hot commodity ahead of his season's trade deadline thanks to a 1.42 ERA as the Marlins closer.25. Oakland Athletics Ryan Pierse / Getty Images Sport / GettyActual pick: Matt Chapman, 3BOur pick: Jeff Hoffman, RHPWith Chapman off the board, the A's could have taken Hoffman. He's become a top reliever in the Phillies' bullpen over the past two seasons.26. Boston Red SoxActual pick: Michael Chavis, SSOur pick: Ryan O'Hearn, 1BO'Hearn has become an effective run producer and slugger late in his career. Chavis posted a .704 OPS in 168 games for the Red Sox and is now playing in the minor leagues.27. St. Louis CardinalsActual pick: Luke Weaver, RHPOur pick: Spencer Turnbull, RHPTurnbull threw a no-hitter for the Tigers in 2021 and has been terrific for the Phillies this season. He would have been a solid pick for the Cardinals with Weaver off the board.Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.