Keone Kela might be the Phillies best option at the trade deadline
For the last year or two, I’ve advocated for the Phillies trading for Keone Kela, the Pirates 27-year-old reliever.
Kela started this year on the injured list with an unspecified injury, which everyone has come to assume in these situations to be COVID-19 related.
Per MLB transactions, #Pirates last night placed RP Keone Kela on the 10-day injured list.
— RobBiertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) July 17, 2020
Kela has not participated in preseason camp. The team said it cannot disclose the reason for his absence.
Kela had some up and down seasons with the Rangers from 2015-18 before he was traded to Pittsburgh. Since then he’s put up All-Star caliber numbers with the Pirates, owning a 2.40 ERA in 48 games.
Last season he dealt with a shoulder injury, but was still able to make 32 appearances with a career best 2.12 ERA. He’s also a high strikeout guy averaging 11 K/9 in his career and less than a home run per nine innings.
More from Phillies News
- What can Philadelphia Phillies expect from Bryson Stott in 2023?
- 3 Reasons to get excited for Phillies’ Craig Kimbrel signing
- Phillies-Mets owners’ rivalry grows after shocking Carlos Correa deal
- Could Rich Hill become ‘Jamie Moyer 2.0’ in Phillies rotation?
- Does Bailey Falter have a future in Phillies’ rotation?
Kela is in the final year of his team control with a bad Pirates team, making him an easy trade candidate in 2020. He’s due to make less than $1.4 million this year with an adjusted salary, so it’ll be a low-cost contract for whichever team picks him up.
Kela’s availability, once he’s healthy, will determine what kind of return the Pirates can get for him, but if he comes back and performs the Phillies should at least give the Pirates a call about him.
Even if Kela isn’t 100% from a pitching standpoint, he might be better than what the Phillies have right now in their bullpen. Matt Klentak traded for Wilson Ramos when he was coming off an injury, so there’s some precedent there.