Keeping Mitch Keller instead of trading him at the MLB Trade Deadline was a very bold decision by the Pirates' front office. Their young pitching has been fantastic, but there have been no signs of an improving offense down the stretch. It's not exactly fair to say the Pirates were solely responsible for Keller remaining in Pittsburgh, though. There are a handful of factors at play that likely made other teams conservative in putting together a deal for Keller, and onered flag has waved dramatically recently.
One of the biggest concerns surrounding Keller was his history of inconsistent second halves.