It seemed for a while like the division rival Chicago Cubs were the prime suitor for Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Mitch Keller, and fans started dreaming about which prospects might come back from the familiar foe, but now that tune may have changed.
A new report from Pirates insider Noah Hiles claims that the Cubs are now considering Keller as a backup option rather than their primary starting pitching target. While that may put a damper on the desire to plunder a chief rival's prospect treasures, it doesn't mean that Keller isn't an in-demand name at the deadline.