Pirates acquire All-Star 2B Brandon
Lowe in three-team trade involving the Rays and the Astros
[December 20, 2025]
By WILL GRAVES
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The offense-starved Pittsburgh Pirates finally
made an aggressive offseason move, acquiring 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.
The Rays are sending Lowe, left-hander Mason Montgomery and
outfielder Jake Mangum to Pittsburgh, who in turn are dealing
right-hander Mike Burrows to Houston. The Astros are sending
outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito to Tampa
Bay.
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 thought 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 provides actual
proof that the team is committed — in 2026, at least — to upgrading
an offense that was at or near the bottom of the majors in nearly
every major category, including runs and home runs.
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Tampa Bay Rays Brandon Lowe follows through on a solo home run
against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning of a baseball
game, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail
Burton, File)
The 26-year-old Burrows went 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA
for the Pirates last season, but he may have found himself the odd
man out in a starting rotation projected to include Skenes, Bubba
Chandler and Mitch Keller, among others.
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.
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.
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