Pirates to acquire All-Star Lowe in three-team trade

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 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 RBI 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.