Report: Pirates open to trading everyone except Skenes, McCutchen

The Pittsburgh Pirates could be one of the busier teams ahead of the July 31 trade deadline as they appear to be open for business.

Only ace right-hander Paul Skenes and franchise icon Andrew McCutchen are considered untouchables by Pittsburgh, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

One of the Pirates' most attractive trade chips is right-hander Mitch Keller, who owns a 3.24 FIP and rarely allows home runs despite his 1-10 record this season.

The 29-year-old is owed about $55 million over the next three campaigns, which accounts for most of the Pirates' payroll and makes the club trading him "possible, if not likely," according to Rosenthal.

The Pirates enter Friday 18 games below .500 thanks to one of the league's worst offenses. Their attendance is also down compared to 2024, creating a reluctance from their owner, Bob Nutting, to increase payroll.