Keller named International League's top pitcher

PHILADELPHIA -- The honor was neat and the recognition was appreciated, but Mitch Keller had bigger goals in mind on Tuesday afternoon after being named the International League’s Most Valuable Pitcher.

“It’s really cool. Hopefully I’ll get that award up here someday,” Keller said. “It’s cool just to be recognized for all the hard work and everything I’ve done to get myself here. It’s awesome.”

The 23-year-old right-hander led the Triple-A International League in ERA (3.56) and strikeouts (123) when he was promoted to the Pirates’ rotation on Aug. 12. Overall, he went 7-5 for Indianapolis, while posting a 1.24 WHIP and holding opponents to a .243 batting average over 19 starts.

Keller allowed two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 19 Triple-A starts, and he struck out at least eight batters in six of those outings. The last Pirates prospect to be named the International League’s best pitcher was Steven Brault in 2017.

The league’s more hitter-friendly environment this year made Keller’s success all the more impressive. So, too, did the fact that Keller spent most of his time in the Minors this season focused on developing into a Major League-caliber starting pitcher -- not just trying to put up the best numbers he could.

Early on this season, Keller added a slider to his arsenal. After returning to Triple-A in late June, he was charged with throwing that pitch and his curveball more often in a way that would help him get big leaguers out.

“At the beginning of the year, it was working on that new pitch. After I got sent down, it was using that pitch more and using more curveballs and getting comfortable using that,” Keller said. “Every time I was there, it was more of a development thing and, obviously, trying to get results, which came right along with the development part of it.”

Keller, who will start Wednesday’s series finale against the Phillies at 6:05 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park, is starting to see his hard work pay off in the Majors. His last outing was easily his best at this level. Keller struck out nine and held the Reds to one run on six hits and one walk over six innings on Friday at PNC Park.

Pittsburgh’s top prospect has another month to prove himself in the Majors before the end of the season, as he will remain in the rotation the rest of the way.

Around the horn

• The Pirates switched out long relievers on Tuesday afternoon, recalling right-hander Yefry Ramirez and optioning righty Parker Markel to Triple-A. Ramirez was scheduled to start Wednesday for Indianapolis, so he is stretched out and available to pitch multiple innings.

• The Pirates stayed true to their word to be bold on the basepaths during Monday’s series-opening loss to the Phillies. All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto stood in their way, however, throwing out three runners to increase his Major League-leading total to 33.

Colin Moran was caught stealing when he took off on a 3-2, two-out pitch that resulted in a strikeout. Realmuto also caught the Pirates’ two biggest stolen-base threats, Starling Marte and Kevin Newman, later in the game.

Realmuto caught Newman with an 87 mph throw and a 1.76-second pop time, his best to second base since Statcast began tracking in 2015. Realmuto then threw out Marte with an 86.4 mph throw and a 1.81-second pop time, better than the MLB average of 2.01 seconds.

“We may have seen the two best throws we saw a catcher make all year yesterday in the same game,” Hurdle said. “We thought we had two [where] it would take perfect throws to get us. He made two perfect throws to get us.”

• Josh Bell returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday after coming off the bench to bash a game-tying 432-foot, 111.3 mph home run off Phillies closer Hector Neris on Monday night. Bell has hit 10 home runs of at least 110 mph this season, tied with Pedro Alvarez (2015) for the most by a Pirate in one season since Statcast began tracking in '15.

• Along with Keller, Indianapolis infielder Jake Elmore was named to the International League’s postseason All-Star team. Elmore, 32, entered Tuesday leading all qualified International League hitters with a .340 batting average. Elmore went 1-for-20 with three strikeouts in 11 games for the Pirates earlier this season.