{"id":71687,"date":"2025-07-28T00:14:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T00:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=71687"},"modified":"2025-07-28T00:14:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-28T00:14:20","slug":"cubs-reportedly-willing-to-include-top-prospect-in-mitch-keller-blockbuster-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=71687","title":{"rendered":"Cubs Reportedly Willing to Include Top Prospect in Mitch Keller Blockbuster Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Chicago Cubs have been expected for weeks leading up to the trade deadline to get aggressive in making upgrades as they try to capitalize on their World Series window.<\/p>\n

It’s no secret that by far their biggest need is starting pitching, and if they are going to have a chance to make a deep run this October, another arm is needed.<\/p>\n

Chicago has been linked to just about every single available — and unavailable starter, and while time is running out, a deal still feels inevitable.<\/p>\n

More News:<\/strong> Cubs Reportedly ‘Very Interested’ in Acquiring Rising Ace MacKenzie Gore<\/p>\n

In his Sunday notebook, baseball insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today shed some light on just how desperate the Cubs are to trade for a starter by revealing who they would be willing to include in a deal for Pittsburgh Pirates star Mitch Keller.<\/p>\n

“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,” Nightengale wrote.<\/p>\n

The allure of trading for someone like Keller works in two ways.<\/p>\n

More News:<\/strong> Cubs Considering Putting Together Trade Package for Atlanta Braves Star<\/p>\n

For one, he has a 3.53 ERA and 1.160 WHIP with just 30 walks in 125 innings this season, pitching as steady as anyone in the National League right now.<\/p>\n

The real attraction though — and the reason to be willing to give up serious assets — is the contract.<\/p>\n

Keller is under team control for three more years after 2025 for roughly $16 million, $18 million and $20 million.<\/p>\n

The market for starting pitching this past offseason was dramatically inflated, and having a reliable arm locked up for $20 million or less over three years is supremely valuable.<\/p>\n

As for Caissie, it’s a tough sell to give up the potential future superstar.<\/p>\n

More News:<\/strong> Cubs Could Use Their Top-Ranked Prospect To Land Difference-Making Pitcher<\/p>\n

Chicago has had to watch former highly-rated prospect Cam Smith become an instant superstar as a rookie for the Houston Astros after sending him away in the Kyle Tucker trade.<\/p>\n

Caissie has that same potential, playing the best baseball of his minor league career over the last couple of months.<\/p>\n

In 81 games this year, the 23-year-old is slashing .278\/.377\/.563 with 20 home runs and 46 RBI for Triple-A Iowa.<\/p>\n

The reality is that Caissie is big league ready right now, there just is simply not a spot for him.<\/p>\n

Trading him is going to be very difficult, but if the Cubs get to deadline day and have yet to acquire a starter, they are likely going to be desperate enough to do just that.<\/p>\n

For more Cubs news, head over to <\/strong><\/em>Cubs On SI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Cubs have been expected for weeks leading up to the trade deadline to get aggressive in making upgrades.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":71688,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nCubs Reportedly Willing to Include Top Prospect in Mitch Keller Blockbuster Deal - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=71687\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cubs Reportedly Willing to Include Top Prospect in Mitch Keller Blockbuster Deal - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Chicago Cubs have been expected for weeks leading up to the trade deadline to get aggressive in making upgrades.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=71687\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-07-28T00:14:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/avtvip-9-4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=71687\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=71687\",\"name\":\"Cubs Reportedly Willing to Include Top Prospect in Mitch Keller Blockbuster Deal - 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