Pirates’ Mitch Keller Narrowly Ended Notable Streak In Latest Start

Saturday represented a fairly typical start for Mitch Keller in 2025.

The Pittsburgh Pirates lost Keller’s fifth straight start and third straight turn ending in a 3-2 outcome. Those unfortunate streaks continued, but the right-handed pitcher finished just shy of extending a more positive mark.

Keller allowed three runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers, marking the first time since May 2 he failed to finish six innings. He had worked six or more frames in each of his last eight outings, all but one of which earned Keller a quality start.

That mix of quality and quantity is hard to find beyond MLB’s premier aces in 2025.

Keller entered Saturday ranked 13th among starting pitchers with 94 innings pitched this season. His 11 quality starts tie Zack Wheeler, Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and Spencer Schwellenbach for fourth, with Pirates teammate Paul Skenes’ 12 topping MLB’s leaderboard alongside Logan Webb and Max Fried.

Despite brandishing a solid 4.02 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, Keller is tied for another dubious distinction. His 10 losses match Antonio Senzatela, who’s done far more to earn those defeats with a 6.72 ERA and 1.97 WHIP, for the game’s highest tally.

Pirates manager Don Kelly stated the obvious following Keller’s latest tough-luck decision, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Colin Beazley.

“There’s some really good things with him,” Kelly said. “You cannot look at the record and let that drag you down because he’s pitched much, much better than 1-10.”

Keller hasn’t notched a win since his season debut on March 28, and the Pirates haven’t scored more than four runs in any of his 16 outings. Yet the 29-year-old isn’t worried about the limited run support, as he predicted that trend to eventually end.

“There’s a lot of season left,” Keller said. “Like I said, I don’t pay attention to runs scored for me. I have no say in what goes on there, I’m not on that side. You’ve just gotta keep going, because one time, it’s gonna change. As many times we’re in these one-run games, we’re gonna explode for one.”

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