Kevin Gorman: Pirates need Mitch Keller to stabilize starting rotation

I asked Neal Huntington whether he subscribed to the idea that an elite pitching prospect like Mitch Keller, ready or not, would rise to a higher level because it was required of him.

The Pittsburgh Pirates general manager had a three-word answer: “Not at all.”

Keller will make his major-league debut for the Pirates on Monday, starting the second game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark. This should have the Pirates pumped, even if they are coming off a 1-5 homestand against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers to slip to .500 (25-25).

“I don’t think anyone circled a date on their calendar, but I know guys are excited to see him,” said Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon, who has taken the club’s No. 1 prospect under his wing. “He’s a guy who could potentially be an impact arm up here.”

The Pirates have had some memorable debuts, from Starling Marte hitting a home run against his first pitch to Nick Kingham taking a perfect game into the seventh inning to Cole Tucker getting a curtain call after hitting a game-winning homer.

What should we expect from Keller?

“You’re looking for a young player to come up and play his game,” Huntington said. “If Mitch Keller comes up and attacks the different quadrants of the strike zone with his fastball, if he trusts that that hammer is going to work and throws that slider with conviction and throws that changeup with confidence, he’s going to have a very successful outing. If he comes up and gives the majors too much respect, then it could be a long day. When any young player comes up, we want them to trust that they belong and give a little bit of respect but attack.”

That’s where Keller’s mental acuity and toughness could come into play. He’s confident in his ability and doesn’t doubt that he belongs in the majors. That should be especially true now that he’s added a cutter-slider to complement his fastball, curveball and changeup, the Pirates’ reason for not promoting him until now.

Taillon believes the 23-year-old right-hander has the makeup to pitch in the majors. Handling the pressure of your major-league debut is another story. It’s trial by fire.

“Start one is tough,” Taillon said. “You’ve just got to go out there and hope you can control the nerves.”

But Taillon made another point: It’s about the bigger body of work. Where Kingham and Tucker shined in their debuts, they have had their share of struggles since. The Pirates aren’t looking for a one-start wonder. Instead of a dazzling debut, they need Keller to help stabilize a starting rotation that is missing both Taillon and Trevor Williams.

Look for Keller to attack the Reds, rise to the occasion and prove that he belongs.

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