Pirates' Mitch Keller: Strikes out seven in no-decision
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Keller allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and four walks while striking out seven batters over 5.1 innings in a no-decision against the Athletics on Tuesday.
Keller got off to a miserable start, walking three of the first four batters he faced on the way to giving up four runs in the first inning. The right-hander was able to pull it together thereafter, and the only other run he allowed came on a Zack Gelof long ball in the sixth. Keller needed 38 pitches to get through the first frame, yet he managed to spare Pittsburgh's bullpen from being overly taxed by getting through his remaining 4.1 innings on 58 pitches. It was actually the deepest Keller has gone since May 24, as he'd given up five-plus earned runs while tossing fewer than five frames in each of his previous three outings coming into Tuesday.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Struggles in third straight start
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Keller (5-4) allowed five runs on seven hits, four walks and two hit batsmen while striking out three over four innings to take the loss versus the Dodgers on Thursday.
Keller's struggles reached a third straight start, a span in which he's been unable to complete five frames. He's given up 18 runs over 12.2 innings across those outings, and he's allowed at least four runs in five of his last six games. Keller's now at a 5.14 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 58:27 K:BB through 77 innings over 14 starts as he's on pace for his worst season since 2021. His next start is projected to be on the road against the Athletics in hitter-friendly Sacramento.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Gives up six runs Friday
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Keller (5-3) was tagged with the loss Friday against Atlanta, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks across 4.2 innings. He struck out four and also hit a batter.
Keller enjoyed an excellent start to the season, and while some regression was expected, he's been hit hard of late. He's given up four or more runs in four of his last five appearances, a stretch in which he's gone 1-2 while posting an 8.31 ERA and 1.58 WHIP with a 20:9 K:BB across 26 innings. Keller has now fallen short of five innings in his last two appearances. Keller won't have an easier outing next time around since he's scheduled to face the Dodgers at home next week.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Hit around in no-decision
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Keller did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Twins, allowing seven runs on 10 hits and one walk with five strikeouts over four innings.
Keller was given an early 7-1 lead in the second inning but allowed five runs in the fourth while surrendering five extra-base hits overall. The 30-year-old endured an uneven May, yielding two earned runs or fewer in three starts but 17 total across his other three, resulting in a 5.50 ERA for the month. He'll carry a 4.35 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 51:20 K:BB across 68.1 innings this season into a road matchup against Atlanta next weekend.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Posts quality start in win
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Keller (5-2) earned the win against the Blue Jays on Sunday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts over six innings.
Keller allowed three baserunners and a run in the fourth inning but was otherwise solid, generating 11 whiffs on 101 pitches while limiting the Blue Jays to one extra-base hit. It was a nice rebound for the 30-year-old after allowing 10 earned runs over his previous two outings, and he's now logged seven quality starts while working into the sixth frame in nine of 11 appearances this season. He'll carry a 3.64 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 46:19 K:BB across 64.1 innings into a home matchup against the Twins next weekend.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Works 5.2 frames in no-decision
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Keller allowed four runs on four hits and one walk while striking out three batters over 5.2 innings in a no-decision against St. Louis on Tuesday.
Keller began his outing with two scoreless frames before giving up a two-run homer to JJ Wetherholt in the third. The Cardinals tacked on another run in the fourth inning, and the final run on Keller's line came after he was pulled with two outs in the sixth. Keller managed just seven whiffs and three punchouts, and he's had four or fewer strikeouts in seven of his 10 starts this season. He's projected to make his next start in Toronto.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Tosses another strong outing
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Keller (4-1) earned the win over Arizona on Thursday, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four batters over six innings.
Keller trailed 2-1 after three innings, but he finished his outing with a trio of scoreless frames. As usual this season, the right-hander wasn't overpowering -- he managed a modest eight whiffs and four punchouts -- but that didn't prevent him from picking up his fourth victory and sixth quality start through eight outings. Keller's advanced metrics don't pop off the page, but he's getting the job done with a 2.87 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 35:14 K:BB across 47 frames on the season. He'll draw a promising matchup in what's scheduled to be a home matchup versus Colorado his next time out.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Sharp in third win
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Keller (3-1) picked up the win Friday, allowing one run on three hits and a walk over seven innings in a 9-1 victory over the Reds. He struck out six.
The veteran righty continues to roll, delivering his fifth quality start of the season on 104 pitches (71 strikes) and tying his season high in strikeouts. Keller has given up more than three runs in a start only once so far in 2026, and he'll take a 2.85 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 31:12 K:BB through 41 innings into his next outing, which is set to come next week on the road in Arizona.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Seven strong innings in second win
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Keller (2-1) notched the win Sunday against the Rays, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks in seven innings. He struck out five.
It was perhaps a season-best performance by the right-hander, who recorded season-high figures in innings and strikeouts. Keller has done a fine job of providing length for the Pirates so far in 2026, tossing at least six innings in four of his five starts. He'll bring a strong 2.79 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 19:9 K:BB over his first 29 frames into his next outing, which is currently projected to come against the division-rival Brewers.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Tagged for five runs in loss
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Keller (1-1) took the loss Monday against the Nationals, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks with three strikeouts across four innings.
Keller had turned in three straight six-inning quality starts to begin the season, so Tuesday was his first hiccup of the 2026 campaign. The Nationals attacked Keller early and often in this one, as the first five batters of the game reached base to push across three runs. CJ Abrams then swatted a solo home run off Keller in the third frame. Keller generated just seven whiffs on 90 pitches and walked four batters for the second time in four starts. The right-hander now owns a 2.86 ERA and 14:9 K:BB across 22 innings. He's slated to face the Rays at home Sunday in his next start.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Blanks Friars in no-decision
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Keller didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 8-2 loss to the Padres, allowing three hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out four.
The veteran right-hander was masterful over 75 pitches (49 strikes), but manager Don Kelly elected to lift Keller to begin the seventh inning in a scoreless tie and watched his bullpen immediately implode. Keller has begun the season with three straight quality starts but has won only one of them, delivering a 1.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 11:5 K:BB through 18 innings. He'll look for more run support in his next trip to the mound, which is set to come at home early next week against the Nationals.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Goes six scoreless in no-decision
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Keller did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-2 extra-innings loss to the Mets, allowing three hits and no walks with three strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
Keller was extremely efficient, needing just 77 pitches to blank the Mets over six innings. It was an encouraging outing for the 29-year-old, who has logged 175-plus frames in each of his past three seasons. He lines up for a home matchup against the Orioles next weekend.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Labors in no-decision
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Keller didn't factor into the decision Friday against Atlanta, allowing one run on three hits and five walks in 3.2 innings. He struck out six.
Keller lacked control in his last start of the campaign, issuing his most walks of the year in his shortest outing since Aug. 19. In fact, the right-hander lent more free passes Friday than he did in his prior five appearances combined. Keller will be entering the third season of his five-year contract with the Pirates in 2026, and he remained a capable -- if unspectacular -- major-league starter in 2025. Over 176.1 innings, he posted a 4.19 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 150:51 K:BB.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Serves up two homers in loss
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Keller (6-15) allowed four earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four across five innings to take the loss Friday against the A's.
Keller had a smooth start to the outing, as he retired the first nine batters he faced. However, he allowed a solo home run in the fourth inning, followed by a three-run shot a frame later to ruin his day. Keller has now allowed at least one home run in six straight starts and has a 5.87 ERA paired with a 1.45 WHIP across 53.2 innings since the All-Star break.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Out-dueled by Woodruff
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Keller (6-14) took the loss Saturday, allowing two runs on five hits over 6.1 innings as the Pirates were downed 4-1 by the Brewers. He struck out four without walking a batter.
It was arguably Keller's best performance since the All-Star break, with a two-run homer by Jake Bauers in the fourth inning being the only blemish on his line, but the right-hander had no margin for error with Brandon Woodruff firing goose eggs over six innings for Milwaukee. The quality start was Keller's 17th of the season, one off his career high, but only two of them have come in seven outings since the beginning of August -- a stretch in which he's stumbled to a 5.86 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 36:11 K:BB through 35.1 innings. He'll try to build on this effort in his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come on the road next weekend against the Nationals.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Falls to Boston
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Keller (6-13) took the loss Sunday against the Red Sox, allowing four runs (none earned) on four hits and a walk across five innings. He struck out seven.
After blanking the Red Sox through four innings, Keller fell victim to some poor defense behind him in the fifth -- Romy Gonzalez reached via error to start the frame before Jarren Duran legged out a three-run, inside-the-park home run with two outs. While he wasn't charged with an earned run Sunday, Keller has been shaky of late, posting a 7.59 ERA across seven starts coming into the day. Overall, the right-hander sports a 4.21 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and 132:44 K:BB across 28 starts (156 innings) this season.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Can't slow down Brew Crew
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Keller (5-11) took the loss Wednesday, surrendering six runs on eight hits and two walks over four innings as the Pirates were downed 12-5 by the Brewers. He struck out five.
The right-hander couldn't stop Milwaukee from winning its 12th straight game, getting tagged for more than five runs for the first time since June 5 and getting handed his first loss since June 21. Since the latter outing, Keller has posted a 4.34 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 39:15 K:BB through 47.2 innings over nine starts. He'll look to rebound in his next trip to the mound, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Blue Jays.
Keller did not factor into the decision in Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts over 5.2 innings.
Keller departed an out shy of a quality start after allowing two baserunners in the sixth inning, one of whom came around to score. The 29-year-old threw just 56 of 97 pitches for strikes with only six whiffs, but the two earned runs marked his lowest total in four starts since the All-Star break. He'll carry a 3.86 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 107:37 K:BB across 137.2 innings into a road matchup with the Brewers next week.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Completes just two frames Monday
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Keller allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three batters over two innings in a no-decision against San Francisco on Monday.
It was a slog from the start for Keller, who allowed three baserunners and one run in the first inning. The Giants tagged him for two more runs in the second, though Keller at least managed to avoid a disastrous frame by striking out two batters with the bases loaded. However, the right-hander finished that inning at 73 pitches -- just 42 of which were strikes -- and didn't return for the third. This was Keller's shortest outing of the campaign and the first time in 20 starts that he's failed to complete five frames. Pittsburgh was able to pull out the win, however, so Keller remains without a loss on his record since June 21.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Sharp in quality start
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Keller didn't factor into the decision in Sunday's 2-1 win against the Twins, allowing one run on four hits over six innings while recording three strikeouts.
Keller turned in another strong outing Sunday, with the only damage coming on a Byron Buxton RBI double in the fourth inning. The right-hander, who was pulled after 83 pitches, has now allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven consecutive starts, compiling a 2.32 ERA with 31 strikeouts and seven walks over 42.2 innings during that stretch. Keller looks locked in heading into the All-Star break, continuing to offer dependable ratios and consistently eating up innings for the non-contending Pirates.
