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Should the Guardians consider bringing Brad Keller into the mix?

By James Mastrucci |
Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox - Game Two
Toronto Blue Jays v Boston Red Sox - Game Two / Paul Rutherford/GettyImages

It has not exactly been a secret that the Cleveland Guardians have been desperately looking for answers to help their depleted starting rotation. Making deals that saw them acquire the likes of Spencer Howard, Matthew Boyd, and Alex Cobb is certainly a testament to that. Even with those attempts to patch their rotation, Cleveland's options are still somewhat of a mixed bag, and they could be looking for someone else to add into the mix.

Veteran right-hander and former American League Central foe, Brad Keller, has elected free agency after being waived by the Boston Red Sox, according to reports, presenting a potential option for Cleveland to pursue. This transaction was made as Boston was calling up veteran Rich Hill, and a roster spot needed to be cleared for that move to be completed.

Now, it must be said that the 29-year-old Keller is not anything special, sporting a 5.44 ERA and 1.524 WHIP in 16 appearances split between Boston and the Chicago White Sox this season. With that being said, the Guardians do not need Keller to be special, they just need someone capable of pitching more than few innings and throwing strikes. In his last two appearances for Boston, Keller went 4 innings both times and threw 62% of his 149 pitches for strikes.

Granted, the results from Keller's last two outings were not great. Six earned runs (eight total) on 13 hits, including three home runs with four walks, a hit by pitch, and eight strikeouts. However, it is not like the Guardians can choose to be picky at this point in time. The fact of the matter is that they need someone who is capable of taking on a few innings every few days or so to help preserve some of the other arms on their staff, and more importantly, reduce the reliance on their top bullpen arms.

Is Keller a top or intriguing option? Not really, but if he can help Cleveland's rotation and bullpen be in the best shape come October, it would be hard to argue against his addition to their pitching staff.