A new Brad Keller awaits KC Royals for key Wrigley Field series

The Kansas City Royals, their hopes for playing October baseball pinned exclusively to finding a way to secure their second consecutive Wild Card berth, begin an important three-game series with the Cubs at Wrigley Field Monday night.

They stayed within reach of that goal by avoiding an improbable series sweep with a 7-4 victory over Miami Sunday, meaning they can improve their position — or damage it — in the three games they'll play on Chicago's North Side before returning home to face AL Central rival Cleveland Friday night.

Adding to the intrigue of facing the high-flying 59-40 Cubs at Wrigley is the presence on Chicago's roster of old KC friend Brad Keller, who lost his way in Kansas City but is now, in his first season in the NL, a key component of the Cubs' bullpen. And he could spell trouble for his old team if he pitches against the Royals this week.

Former KC Royals pitcher Brad Keller has re-fired his career with the Cubs

It seems so long ago — 2020, in fact — since Keller, a talented right-hander who through the thick and thin of six seasons held down a spot in Kansas City's starting rotation, won his second Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year Award as the club's top hurler. Keller went 5-3 with an excellent 2.47 ERA in that pandemic-abbreviated season.

But he was never again that good with the Royals — hampered by inconsistency and a shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of 2023, Keller went a disappointing 17-30, 5.14 ERA record in his last three Royal campaigns before hitting free agency after that short 2023 season. And 2024 wasn't any better. In 16 games split between short stints with the White Sox and Red Sox, Keller was 0-4 with a 5.44 ERA.

Back on the free agent market after the season ended, Keller snared a minor league contract with the Cubs, who threw in an invitation to major league spring training to boot, and made Chicago's Opening Day roster. And over halfway into the 2025 season, he and his new club have never looked back.

Appearing in his 42nd game Saturday night — only Caleb Thielbar, who pitched for the 43rd time Sunday against Boston, has pitched in more Cubs' contests this season — Keller worked the eighth inning against the Sox and struck out the side in lowering his ERA to 3.07. Only six times has he been charged with a run, he's allowed only two of seven inherited runners to cross the plate, his ERA+ is 125, his 2.86 BB/9 is comfortably below his career 3.91 mark, and he's 3-1.

And for those who keep track of such things, the hold he chalked up against the Red Sox Friday afternoon was his 15th of the year.

So it is that pitching almost exclusively in relief — his only start was the scoreless, two-strikeout, one-inning May 10 opener he threw against the Mets — Keller has revived his career with the Cubs. Whether he sees action against his old team this week remains to be seen, but the Royals will have their work cut out for them if he does.