Mitch Keller is a pretty league average pitcher.

He has an ERA of 4.15, just 14 points above the MLB average. He has a WHIP of 1.275, just better than the league average. And he has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.25, 70 points clear of the league average.

But perhaps most stunningly, Keller is tied for second in the majors with ten quality starts. Yet, he has a record of 1-9. He has not been credited with a win since his first start of the season, all the way back on March 28th.

For Pirate pitchers, and starters in particular, picking up a win is a difficult task. Heck, Paul Skenes has a losing record right now.

They have to pitch nearly perfect to give their team a chance, dealing with a subpar and often underperforming offense that sits near the basement in runs per game.

But no one has been victimized by Pittsburgh’s lack of offense more than Keller. The righty is tied for second in baseball in quality starts, having thrown ten. But his offense averages 1.21 runs a game while he is playing.

He’s not pitching otherworldly, but he’s still been a decent, inning-eating righty who deserves better than he’s received from this team.

I’m starting to think the Pirates just hate this guy. And if you need any more proof, just take a look at this recent series against the Miami Marlins.

Pittsburgh’s only loss of the series came during a Keller start, but it goes far deeper than that.

On Monday night, as the Pirates opened up their three-game series with the fish to cap off their home stand, Pirates righty Mike Burrows was on the mound. In 4.1 innings, he struck out six, walked three, and allowed two runs to the Marlins.

That’s not incredible, but it’s something you can work with. And the Pirates did.

Facing Marlins righty Eury Pérez, who was making his first start in nearly two years after recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Pirates tagged him for four runs in three innings before he was chased.

Miami’s bullpen didn’t fare any better, allowing seven runs in relief as the Pirates exploded for ten runs, tying their season high. Every Pirate who took a plate appearance recorded a hit, and four Bucco batters had multi-hit games.

Burrows didn’t earn the win, but the Pirates picked him up in a major way, cruising to a 10-3 win over Miami.

On Tuesday night, with Keller on the mound, the offense offered him literally nothing.

Keller went six innings, and although he allowed a two-run homer in the third and was knocked for eight hits, Keller held the Marlins to three runs, earning another quality start.

But like a tale as old as time, he got no help from his team.

Pittsburgh couldn’t score a run off Sandy Alcantara, who bested them in the season opener but came into the game sporting a staggering 7.89 ERA. The righty had given up 26 earned runs in his last six starts, and had not thrown a scoreless game all season.

He shut the Pirates out for six innings, leaving Keller on the hook for the loss as he left the game trailing 3-0. Pittsburgh hit two solo home runs in the eighth inning, and had two runners in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t capitalize and lost.

For Keller, perhaps you could write that off as a tough loss, but when you’re now 1-9, you have to just throw your hands up in the air.

On Wednesday, the Pirates were back to finding some offense. Though lefty starter Bailey Falter performed a little better than Keller, holding the Marlins to one run over 5.1 innings, the Pirates gave him decent insurance.

Pittsburgh scored four runs off Marlins starter Cal Quantrill, with Andrew McCutchen’s historic home run, which moved him ahead of Roberto Clemente on the all-time list, put the Pirates up 4-0 with Falter still in the game for the Pirates. Falter picked up the win, and the Pirate bullpen locked the door after he left.

If there was still a need to show just how unimportant a pitcher’s record is, the 2025 Pirates are here to do just that. And Keller is the leading example of that.

Keller just can’t catch a break.