The Chicago Cubs' pursuit of a starting pitcher has been known for a while, and with five days remaining until the trade deadline, the team may be desperate than initially thought. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cubs have zeroed in on Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mitch Keller and are willing to part ways with top prospect Owen Caissie to get the deal done. "The Cubs desperately want another starter at the deadline, targeting Mitch Keller of the Pirates, and would include outfield prospect Owen Caissie to make it work," wrote Nightengale.
Cubs Willing to Deal Top Prospect Owen Caissie for Mitch Keller Ahead of Deadline originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Chicago Cubs' pursuit of a starting pitcher has been known for a while, and with five days remaining until the trade deadline, the team may be desperate than initially thought.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cubs have zeroed in on Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mitch Keller and are willing to part ways with top prospect Owen Caissie to get the deal done.
"The Cubs desperately want another starter at the deadline, targeting Mitch Keller of the Pirates, and would include outfield prospect Owen Caissie to make it work," wrote Nightengale.
Chicago’s aggressiveness is not shocking. Superstar Kyle Tucker is an impending free agent, and President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer is in the final year of his contract. The club must take advantage of its current roster and strong position in the standings — but is it worth sacrificing the future to do so?
Keller is a consistent pitcher, having an ERA under 4.30 and totaling over 158 innings in each of the last four seasons. He brings an All-Star pedigree and is under club control through 2028, making him one of the most valuable investments on the market.
Yet, it is hard to ignore what Caissie can provide to Chicago. He will likely not factor into their success this season, but if Tucker departs in free agency, the 23-year-old is ready to take over in right field.
In 309 plate appearances with Triple-A affiliate Iowa, Caissie is hitting .278 with 20 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .940 OPS.
Would trading Caissie be worth chasing a World Series this season and acquiring Keller to stabilize the Cubs’ rotation for the next three-and-a-half years? Potentially, but it could also backfire similarly to when the New York Mets traded Peter Crow-Armstrong to the Cubs for Javier Baez.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Baseball
