Right-hander Kyle Keller is reportedly drawing interest from six major league teams, per Robert Murray of FanSided. Murray adds that Keller, who pitched in Japan the past two seasons, is also drawing interest from NPB clubs.
Keller, 30, was an 18th-round pick by the Marlins in the 2015 draft and pitched in the majors for parts of three seasons, from 2019-21. He recorded 46 1/3 innings of work across the Marlins, Angels, and Pirates organizations during that time, struggling to a 5.83 ERA with a 7.00 FIP. Control problems were the main culprit of Keller’s struggles, as evidenced by his 15% walk rate in the majors. Entering the 2022 campaign, Keller signed on with NPB’s Hanshin Tigers to become the club’s closer.
The righty impressed in that role over two seasons with the Tigers. After posting a strong 2.72 ERA in 49 2/3 innings of work in Japan during the 2022 season, Keller put together an even more impressive season in 2023, with a sterling 1.71 ERA across 26 1/3 frames. He struck out 23.7% of batters faced on the year and has even managed to rein in his control issues during his time overseas, walking just 8.8% of batters faced over the past two seasons.
Given those strong numbers during his time in Japan, it’s easy to see why MLB clubs would have interest in Keller for the 2024 campaign. While a reliever on the wrong side of thirty with a fairly limited NPB track record and previous struggles at the major league level is unlikely to land a significant multi-year deal in the majors, it’s certainly feasible that Keller could find a team willing to roll the dice on a major league contract for his services. Free agent lefty Matt Moore and Diamondbacks right-hander Scott McGough are among the examples of big leaguers who departed MLB for the NPB before returning stateside in recent years.
The floodgates are open.
They needed to follow up the Nola deal with something really bangin!!! They out-did themselves!
Not great control in Japan in 2023—
16BB in 26 1/3 IP
Ouch, at that point whiffs and k percentage means a lot less.
Yikes.
Here we go finally
Scott McGough is not the player Keller’s agent wants as a comparison.
That’s why the Diamondbacks had to trade some young players to Seattle to get Seawald.
Cubs are a large market team, they should sign Yamamoto, Hoskins and Soler.
Nah the reds need Yamamoto
But they won’t sign him.
Not that the Reds will shell out what it takes to sign him.
They meed an established majorcleague ace anyway.
Id like to see the Cubs sign Woodruff, a legit front of the rotation ace that can be had for just $. They should also be exploring trades for Cease or Glasnow. Cubs need two front of rotation starters.
Woodruff should be able to help someone in the second half of ’25. Is that what the Cubs really need?
Wow this really throws a wrench into things, now teams will have to make the tough choice of Ohtani, Yamamoto, or Keller!
So nola have to pay about 45 percent in taxes on this too
Kyle Broflovski?
Should have left Kyle out of the title. Much better for clicks.
Why? I mean, in reading these comments it’s apparent that a great many fans here can’t keep their Keller’s straight, even with the first name
I didn’t see a single comment suggesting anyone thought it was Mitch.
On the contrary, it seems like the vibe of most of these comments alludes to Mitch and not this guy
Of course, there’s no accounting for sarcasm…..
they don’t
Kyle is a good guy. He lived with us when he pitched for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp for a couple of years and my wife and I still keep in touch with him. I hope he catches on back home and does well!