The offense-starved Pittsburgh Pirates finally made an aggressive offseason move, agreeing to acquire two-time All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Houston Astros, according to multiple reports.
The Rays will send Lowe, left-hander Mason Montgomery and outfielder Jake Mangum to Pittsburgh. The Pirates will deal right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to Houston. Tampa Bay is acquiring a pair of prospects from Houston as part of the deal.
Lowe, an All-Star in 2019 and 2025, gives the Pirates a veteran bat for a lineup in desperate need of some pop to support a promising young pitching staff led by National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes.
The move is an unusually aggressive one for the Pirates, who have been reticent to acquire much in the way of salary in recent years. Lowe, 31, is scheduled to make $11.5 million in 2026 and can become a free agent after the World Series.
Burrows, 26, went 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA for the Pirates last season. He might have been the odd man out in a starting rotation projected to include Skenes, Bubba Chandler and Mitch Keller next season.
Left-handed Montgomery will have a chance to carve out a spot in a Pittsburgh bullpen that includes closer Dennis Santana and veteran left-hander Gregory Soto. Montgomery went 1-3 with a 5.67 ERA in 57 games last season for the Rays.
Outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito are going from Houston to the Rays in the trade. Melton, 24, hit .157 during his debut with Houston last season but batted a solid .286 at Triple-A Sugar Land before his call-up. Brito, 21, had a sub-4.00 ERA while playing in the low minors last season.
Mangum, 29, hit .296 and stole 27 bases in 118 games for Tampa Bay during his rookie season.
Brandon Lowe wallops a homer vs. Orioles (0:34)Brandon Lowe extends the Rays’ lead with a solo home run against the Orioles. (0:34)