12/19/25 12:58:00
Printable Page
12/19 12:56 CST Pirates to acquire All-Star Brandon Lowe in three-team trade,
AP sources says
Pirates to acquire All-Star Brandon Lowe in three-team trade, AP sources says
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) --- The offense-starved Pittsburgh Pirates finally made an
aggressive offseason move, agreeing to acquire two-time All-Star second baseman
Brandon Lowe from Tampa Bay as part of a three-team trade that also includes
the Houston Astros.
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. a
person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press. The person
spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deals were pending
approval of medical records.
The 31-year-old 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 left-handed Lowe hit .256 with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs for Tampa Bay and
now heads to PNC Park, where the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field
could be a tantalizing target.
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 is scheduled to make
$11.5 million in 2026 and can become a free agent after the World Series.
Pittsburgh was said to be pursuing slugger Kyle Schwarber, who opted to stay in
Philadelphia. The Pirates did trade for outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia,
who hit 18 homers in Triple-A in the Red Sox organization last year.
Lowe, however, is the kind of splashy move that proves actual proof the team is
committed --- in 2026 at least --- to upgrading an offense that at or near the
bottom of the majors in nearly every major category, including runs and home
runs.
The 26-year-old Burrows went 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA for the Pirates last season
but may have found himself the odd man out in a starting rotation projected to
include Skenes, Bubba Chandler, and Mitch Keller, among others, next season.
The 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.
The 29-year-old Mangum hit .296 and stole 27 bases in 118 games for Tampa Bay
during his rookie season last year.
Outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito are going from Houston
to the Rays.
Melton, 24, hit just .157 during his debut with Houston last season but batted
a solid .286 while playing for Triple-A Sugar Land before his call-up. The
21-year-old Brito had a sub-4.00 ERA while playing in the low minors last year.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
|
