Should the Bucs Extend Keller

[Possum]

I thought Keller is looking like the ace of the staff at this point. I think the Bucs should follow what they did with Hayes and Reynolds and sign Keller to a long-term contract extension.
Should they sit down and do it now? How many years should it be? What kind of money will BOB be willing to spend on an annual and total basis? I'm waiting to hear from you guys.

[Doc]

There are enough good teams, most in large markets, who will want Keller when he reaches free agency (providing he continues to be mostly effective) that his price will go beyond what the Pirates will be willing to pay. His contract will be what the market decides. That's always a different market than the one Nutting is willing to participate in. So that forces the Pirates to take a risk, one that requires them to try to sign Keller to a multiple-year contract now while they have him under their control.

Only Keller can decide if what the Pirates offer is enough to get him to stay. If he finishes strong in September, and then has an even better season in '24, he'd be nuts to sign with the Pirates. The Pirates need to try to wrap him up now and, yes, I believe it's worth the risk. We all know how valuable pitching is. Without talent like Keller's, a team can't win. The club has exclusive dibs on signing him now. Use that advantage.

[Surgnbuck]

I thought it was reported they were talking. I don't see a long term deal happening though, because I can't see the Pirates wanting to go longer than 4 years as he turns 30 the season of his first FA year. I don't see Keller accepting that short of a deal.

We never know. I'm not 100 percent sold on him, but if they extended him, I'm all for it, regardless what they pay.

[Bobster]

They need to extend him but that'd never a good bet with Nutting. A rotation with Skenes, Keller and Oviedo would be good.

[PooperScooper !]

NO ! I would not trust him to a big money extension. Maybe see if you can add a year.

[Dutton]

I used to post as SyrBucco here. Haven't been able to get back on since the changeover. But about Keller ...

Absolutely sign him to an extension that gets us a couple extra years of control. This may be a risk, but continuing to move our best pitcher in trades is not a risk, it's a recipe for also-ran status.

[Possum]

I used to post as SyrBucco here. Haven't been able to get back on since the changeover. But about Keller ...

Absolutely sign him to an extension that gets us a couple extra years of control. This may be a risk, but continuing to move our best pitcher in trades is not a risk, it's a recipe for also-ran status.

Good to have you back my friend. How is the wife?

[Ecbucs]

I used to post as SyrBucco here. Haven't been able to get back on since the changeover. But about Keller ...

Absolutely sign him to an extension that gets us a couple extra years of control. This may be a risk, but continuing to move our best pitcher in trades is not a risk, it's a recipe for also-ran status.

I guess the best security for websites can still be breached. Welcome back SyrBucco!

I think the team needs to sign Keller too for the market rate. If Keller wants to go elsewhere then he needs to be traded. I don't really know what the going rate for somebody like him is. Joe Musgrove has a 5 year 20 million a year contract. His last couple of years before signing the contract were better than Keller's 2023. Still Keller may be worth around 20 million a year in this market and that might be a bargain for the Bucs.

[fjk090852-7]

If the Pirates cannot agree on a long term contract with Keller they can offer him a contract through the arbitration means for two years, and then make the qualifying offer for the third year. If all possible agree to a contract for the next two years without going through the arbitration hearing.

[Surgnbuck]

Looking for a different thread, found this one.