Post-deadline buzz shows Mitch Keller trade talks surged without Cubs

Mitch Keller was one of the most rumored trade targets for the Chicago Cubs ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and there was a sense that the Cubs may turn to Keller and the Pittsburgh Pirates if their trade efforts elsewhere didn't materialize. Of course, as we now know, it seems the Cubs had extreme reservations about moving any of their top prospects at the deadline.

While Keller was among the group of controllable starting pitchers who didn't move at the deadline, a recent report suggests there was some late movement toward a potential deal--and it didn't involve the Cubs.

Mitch Keller trade momentum built late and Cubs were nowhere in sight

It turns out it was the Baltimore Orioles had the most interest in Keller as the deadline approached. While the Orioles are out of contention, adding Keller would have given them a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher moving past this season. That said, the fact that the Orioles had a more aggressive pursuit of Keller than the Cubs does beg the question of how seriously the Cubs went about their search for a controllable starting pitcher.

This report also speaks to a larger issue that will loom this offseason. It stands to reason that the same starting pitchers the Cubs were interested in at the deadline will be the same pitchers they have interest in during the offseason. Already a concern, considering the asking price likely won't be lower, but another point of contention is that the market for those pitchers will be expanded to teams who weren't buyers at the deadline. The Orioles are the primary team that comes to mind.

Whether the free-agent market or trade market, Jed Hoyer's history has proven that the Cubs will never be the team to set the market. More times than not, that will leave the Cubs on the outside looking in when it comes to their offseason pursuits.

It's becoming a tiring trend for the Cubs to be linked to a player, and once more reporting surfaces, it's proven they weren't in the mix once a decision was made. The Keller sweepstakes at the deadline are the latest example of that.

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