CLEVELAND — The Pirates are reportedly shopping for bullpen help one week ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, citing multiple sources around Major League Baseball, wrote Tuesday that Neal Huntington has expressed interest in acquiring Rangers closer Keone Kela.
Kela, 24, has converted all 23 of his save opportunities this season and is under contract through 2020. Although the Pirates' three back-end relievers — Felipe Vazquez, Kyle Crick and Edgar Santana — have pitched a combined 27 1/3 scoreless innings this month, Kela would fortify a bullpen that was the club's weakness for much of the season.
Kela has a 1.08 WHIP, 3.18 ERA and 41 strikeouts to 12 walks in 34 innings for the last-place Rangers. He has a fastball that's averaged 97 mph, as well as a curveball, changeup and sinker. The former 12th-round draft pick made his big-league debut in 2015, throwing 60 1/3 innings that season, followed by two injury-shortened seasons in 2016 and 2017. Kela spent time on the disabled list in '16 with a right elbow impingement and suffered a shoulder injury in '17.
Right-handed hitters are batting just .123 against him this season, although lefties are batting .308. He'd provide insurance in the event Richard Rodriguez struggles and would allow the Pirates to not have to rely as much on their three middle relievers: Steven Brault, Tyler Glasnow and Michael Feliz.
However, the price tag would likely be high for Huntington. Although Kela made $1.2 million this season, he'll get a significant raise in the offseason through arbitration, and the fact he's under contract for two more seasons will raise the asking price considerably.
The Pirates are unlikely to part with any of their premium prospects such as Austin Meadows, Mitch Keller or Ke'Bryan Hayes. They are likely to shop for a true middle reliever with an expiring contract, much like their trade for Joaquin Benoit at the deadline last year.