Full trade between the Rays, Pirates, and Astros, per sources: Pirates receive: INF Brandon Lowe, LHP Mason Montgomery, and OF Jake Mangum Rays receive: OF Jacob Melton and RHP Anderson Brito Astros receive: RHP Mike Burrows Pending medical review.
Rays trade Brandon Lowe to Pirates in three-team trade
Photo credit: © Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Dec 19, 2025, 13:15 ESTUpdated: Dec 19, 2025, 13:16 EST
Brandon Lowe is out of the American League East.
On Friday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Rays, Houston Astros, and Pittsburgh Pirates completed a three-team trade. The Pirates received Brandon Lowe, Mason Montgomery, and Jake Magnum from the Rays. Going to the Astros was Mike Burrows, who spent the 2025 season with the Pirates, while the Astros traded Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito to the Rays.
Lowe, without a doubt, is the biggest piece of this deal. Last season, the second baseman slashed .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs in 553 plate appearances. His career-best season came in 2021, when he slashed .247/.340/.523 with 39 home runs in 615 plate appearances. Throughout his career against the Jays, Lowe is slashing .268/.354/.571 with 21 home runs in 294 plate appearances, the most home runs he’s hit against a single team. Lowe has also hit the last two 500-deck home runs at Rogers Centre.
As for the other pieces the Pirates received, Magnum made his big league debut in 2025, slashing .296/.330/.368 with three home runs in 428 plate appearances with the Pirates. His 95 wRC+ wasn’t great, but the 29-year-old finished with a 1.8 fWAR thanks to strong defence. Montgomery, a left-handed reliever, posted a 5.67 ERA and 3.92 FIP in 46 innings pitched in 2025.
Burrows made his big league debut with the Pirates in 2024, but became a regular with the team in 2025. In 96 innings pitched, the 26-year-old had a 3.94 ERA and 4 FIP, with a 24.1 K% and 7.7 BB%. Of his 23 appearances, 19 of them were starts, so expect him to occupy a spot in the Astros’ rotation.
Melton, drafted two picks after the Toronto Blue Jays selected Brandon Barriera, is an outfielder who made his debut with the Astros in 2025. In 78 plate appearances, the 25-year-old slashed .157/.234/.186 with no home runs for a 22 wRC+ and -0.3 fWAR. He currently ranks as MLB Pipeline’s second-best Astros prospect, while Brito ranks as their seventh-best pitcher. Brito, 20, pitched in High-A last season and authored a 3.28 ERA and 2.91 FIP in 49.1 innings pitched.
This trade came just a few hours after the Kansas City Royals acquired Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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