The Chicago Cubs were already in the market for starting pitching a month out from the MLB trade deadline. Following

The New York Mets have contacted the Pittsburgh Pirates regarding a potential trade for starting pitcher Mitch Keller after the Chicago Cubs initially registered interest, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“Caissie was the prospect mentioned the most by execs — and it wasn’t even close…Five years ago, the Cubs acquired Caissie as one of the prospect headliners in the Yu Darvish trade with the Padres. Now, in all likelihood, they will trade him for pitching at the deadline,” Bowden wrote.

Chicago is at the top of the division at 52-35 while St. Louis is 5.5 games back and in third at 47-41. Last week these teams met in St. Louis for a four-game series that they split, with the Cardinals winning the first two games and the Cubs winning the last two. When: Friday, July 4 at 2:20 p.m. EDT