Keller agrees on a 5-year extension with the Pirates

Mitch Keller and the Pittsburgh Pirates agree on a 5-year, 77 million-dollar deal extension, securing another young core player as the franchise continues to try to return to the playoffs for the 1^st time in almost 10 years.

The contract, which starts this season and finishes after the 2028 campaign, will pay Mitch 7.5 million dollars this year, more than 2 million dollars above where he had settled with the organization in arbitration. In what would have been his final season of arbitration in 2025, the right-hander will get 15 million dollars. For the 3 free agent campaigns Pittsburgh bought out, they will reward him with 16.5, 18, and 20 million dollars.

RHP Mitch Keller and the Pirates have agreed to a 5-year contract extension, per @JeffPassan.

Keller made his first All-Star appearance last season and finished 13-9 with a 4.21 ERA. pic.twitter.com/CiZhcOl7ol

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He had a breakout 2023 campaign in which he was selected for the All-Star match for the 1st time in his career.

Mitch, who would have been a free agent after the 2025 campaign, is the 3^rd core player of the franchise to ink an extension.