5 starters the Reds could trade for and immediately sign to a contract extension

4. Reds could trade for Pirates RHP Mitch Keller & sign him to an extension

It's not very often that you see two teams make a trade within the division. However, the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates did pull off an intra-division trade involving Kevin Newman and Dauri Moreta last offseason.

But when you're talking about a player as talented as Mitch Keller, things get much trickier. While the balanced schedule has seen teams play fewer games against their division rivals, trades within the division just don't happen very often.

When it comes to Keller, there's been talk of the Pirates looking to extend the right-hander, and with good reson. Keller can fill up the strike zone, and had over 200 Ks in 190 innings pitched in 2023.

While his ground ball-rate creeped up slightly in 2023, in 2022, that number was sitting at nearly 50-percent. Every Reds fan knows that keeping the ball on the ground while pitching in Great American Ball Park is a very wise strategy.

As stated early, swinging a trade within the division is difficult. Because of that, the Pirates would undoubtedly overvalue Mitch Keller and likely ask for more in return. But, if Keller fits the profile of what Cincinnati is looking for, it could be worth having a conversation with the Buccos.