Former KC Royals starter getting new lease on baseball life in Chicago

Three weeks ago, former Kansas City Royals pitcher Brad Keller seemed to be settling in quite nicely at Wrigley Field, his new baseball home since he won a spot on the Cubs' roster just before this season started. The righty had just chalked up his sixth scoreless appearance of the young campaign by throwing a three-up-three-down seventh inning to help the Cubs to an easy 6-2 April 19 victory over Arizona.

That efficient effort extended Keller's promising early-season performance. It lowered his eight-game ERA to 3.00, and the strikeout he chalked up gave him 12 in nine innings. That he'd been scored upon in only two games represented a welcome, albeit small sample-size, change from the maddening inconsistency that tainted his time in Kansas City, a six-season span during which he won KC's Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year award in 2018 and 2020 but lost 14 games twice and 12 once.

But just three days later, close Keller observes had to wonder if that frustrating inconsistency had suddenly resurfaced. The save he blew against the Dodgers April 22 was too ugly to ignore — after retiring the only batter he faced in the sixth, he gave up a leadoff single followed by two straight walks, a run-scoring sacrifice fly, and a two-run double before giving way to reliever Ethan Roberts, who promptly allowed two of Keller's runners to score. The Cubs won 11-10 despite Keller's bad outing.

Fortunately, Keller rebounded by pitching seven more times without yielding a single run, including Saturday night's contest against the Mets when he started a bullpen game at Citi Field by retiring the Mets in order in the first. His impressive work featured swinging strikeouts of always-dangerous Met threats Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, and five times he hit 98 mph or better with his four-seamer.

Keller's one-inning assignment as the Cubs' opener gave him his first start of the season and improved his already serviceable ERA to 3.57, a mark skewed by his poor performance against the Dodgers, without which he'd be sporting a superb 1.55 ERA. Opposing batters are now hitting only .224 against him and his WHIP is down to 1.19.

Former KC Royals pitcher Brad Keller seems to be regaining his best form

The Cubs, who lead the National League Central, and Keller have a long way to go before either — or both — can declare this season a success. But considering his recent track record, Keller has to feel good about his performance to date.

Keller, after all, hasn't had a winning season since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign when his 5-3, 2.47 ERA record was good enough to nail down his second Royals Pitcher of the Year honor. He also threw the only shutout of his career that season. Since then, though, his ERA is 5.16, a disturbing product due primarily to the 5.39, 5.09, 4.57, and 5.44 marks he posted in 2021-2024. He also lost twice as many times (34) as he won (17) during the same period.

Keller hasn't pitched for the Royals since 2023, when he spent most of the season on the injured list before leaving for free agency and, ultimately, the White Sox after the campaign ended. Chicago let him go after he went 0-2 with a 4.86 ERA in five appearances in 2024; he soon ended up in Boston, where he went 0-2, 5.84.

Now, he's back in Chicago, but pitching at Wrigley Field instead of Rate Field. And it looks like he has a new lease on his baseball life.