The Astros, Pirates and Rays have agreed to an enormous three-team commerce, in response to varied reviews. Every workforce’s finish of the deal breaks down as follows…
The Bucs have a full 40-man roster and should make two corresponding strikes to make this official.
Lowe is the most important title of the bunch right here. The 31-year-old has spent the previous eight seasons with the Rays. In that point, he has established himself as one of many higher power-hitting second basemen within the sport. Relationship again to the beginning of 2019, he has hit 151 residence runs. Amongst main second basemen, solely Marcus Semien and Jose Altuve are forward of him in that class, with Semien having 178 homers in that span and Altuve 158.
That energy manufacturing from Lowe is much more spectacular when one considers that he did that in about one thousand fewer plate appearances than Altuve and about 1,600 shy of Semien. However that additionally demonstrates the primary knock on Lowe, which is that he has had hassle staying on the sphere. As a consequence of varied accidents through the years, he has solely twice been capable of play greater than 107 video games in a season. Decrease again issues have been a frequent concern however he’s additionally hit the injured checklist on account of a proper shin bone bruise, a proper triceps contusion, a proper patella fracture, a proper indirect pressure, left indirect tightness and left ankle/foot tendinitis.
Earlier in his profession, the Rays moved Lowe between second base and the outfield corners. Presumably due to the accidents, he hasn’t been despatched out to the grass since 2022. He has been nearly solely a second baseman recently, with a number of stints at first as properly. His second base protection was as soon as round league common however appears to have slipped as he has battled these accidents and pushed into his 30s. He was given a minus-13 grade from Outs Above Common this 12 months and minus-14 from Defensive Runs Saved.
There’s additionally a little bit of concern from his declining plate self-discipline. He has all the time had a excessive strikeout charge however offset that earlier in his profession with strong stroll charges. That hasn’t been the case recently, as Lowe walked in fewer than 8% of his plate appearances in every of the previous two years.
The ability has nonetheless been sufficient to hold the profile. Relationship again to the beginning of 2024, he has 52 residence runs and a .251/.309/.475 batting line. That interprets to a 118 wRC+, indicating his offense has been 18% above league common total. Regardless of the defensive shortcomings, FanGraphs credited him with 4 wins above substitute in 241 video games over that two-year span. He’s going to make $11.5MM in 2026 earlier than he’s slated to achieve free company.
Although Lowe is an imperfect participant, he might be an enormous improve for the Pirates. That they had nearly no offensive prowess to talk of in 2025. Spencer Horwitz was the one Pirate to provide a wRC+ larger than 101.
Whereas the Bucs had a transparent lack of offense, they’d an enormous pile of pitching expertise. Paul Skenes was the clear headliner however they’d loads of different thrilling younger arms within the combine. After a number of years struggling to return to rivalry, the Bucs got here into this winter seeking to get aggressive in upgrading the offense.
They made some spirited makes an attempt in free company, making aggressive presents to Kyle Schwarber and Josh Naylor earlier than the re-signed with the Phillies and Mariners respectively. Even when they’d succeeded in a kind of guys or another person, it all the time appeared doubtless that they might use their stockpile of younger arms to bolster the offense.
That is the second such commerce of the offseason for the Bucs. They despatched Johan Oviedo to the Pink Sox earlier this month as a part of a five-player swap, with outfielder Jhostynxon García coming again to Pittsburgh.
Lowe might bounce in because the common second baseman. The Bucs used guys like Jared Triolo, Nick Yorke and Nick Gonzales there in 2025 with out anybody taking agency maintain of the place. Given Lowe’s age, harm points and defensive shortcomings, it’s additionally potential he sees vital time within the designated hitter slot. That would depart open some taking part in time for these guys, although Triolo and Gonzalez might additionally think about at shortstop or third base.
Since Lowe goes into the ultimate 12 months of his deal, he’s only a one-year improve for the Pirates, although it’s potential they may make him a qualifying provide at season’s finish if he has a wholesome and productive marketing campaign.
That they had added one more man to their place participant combine with Mangum, although he’s not more likely to be a large lineup increase. He acquired into 118 video games with the Rays this 12 months as a speed-and-defense man with a contact-based strategy. His 15% strikeout charge was decrease than league common however he additionally solely drew walks at a 4% clip and hit solely three residence runs. His .296/.330/.368 batting line translated to a 95 wRC+ however he stole 27 bases and acquired sturdy defensive grades in all three outfield slots.
Mangum has precisely one 12 months of service time, that means he’s not less than two years from arbitration and 5 years from free company. He additionally has a full slate of choices, so he might be despatched to Triple-A to function depth. The Bucs ought to have Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds in two outfield spots. One spot is offered with guys like García, Jack Suwinski, Marco Luciano and others within the combine. Mangum might push for a daily function or a gig as a fourth outfielder, or he might find yourself in Triple-A, as talked about. A prolonged elective project might delay his trajectory to arbitration and/or free company.
The Bucs additionally picked up a reliever in Montgomery. The southpaw tossed 55 2/3 innings for the Rays over the previous two years, permitting 5.01 earned runs per 9. He struck out 32.5% of batters confronted and acquired grounders on 45% of balls in play but in addition gave out walks at an enormous 13% clip. He has a high-90s fastball, in addition to a cutter and a slider, however management is clearly a difficulty.
He’s additionally optionable and will be managed for 5 years, so the Bucs can see in the event that they can assist him harness his stuff, with out having to commit an enormous league roster spot. Pittsburgh’s southpaw reduction contingent is at the moment headlined by Gregory Soto, with Evan Sisk and now Montgomery additionally within the combine.
To be able to get these gamers, the Pirates are making a notable subtraction from their rotation. Burrows, 26, was an Eleventh-round decide and spent a few years within the mid-range of Pittsburgh’s prime 30 prospects. Nonetheless, he has elevated his inventory recently. He has so far tossed 99 1/3 innings in his large league profession with a 3.90 ERA, 23.8% strikeout charge, 8.2% stroll charge and 41.9% floor ball charge. He has averaged within the mid-90s along with his four-seamer and sinker whereas additionally throwing a slider, curveball and changeup. He has additionally thrown 83 2/3 innings within the minors over the previous two seasons with a 4.20 ERA, 27.4% strikeout charge and 9.6% stroll charge.
The Pirates are hoping that their trades this offseason have bolstered their lineup and bullpen, whereas the rotation might nonetheless be a energy regardless of the subtractions. Even with out Oviedo and Burrows, they nonetheless have Skenes, Mitch Keller, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler, Hunter Barco, Thomas Harrington and others within the combine. Jared Jones remains to be recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure however ought to rejoin that group sooner or later in 2026.
Extra to come back.
Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the weather of the deal. Alex Stumpf of MLB.com and Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com report that the deal seems performed however is pending medical opinions.
