So far, the Pirates have whiffed on adding a power bat to their lineup. Despite rumors of an offer to Kyle Schwarber, Pittsburgh remains the underwhelming group that finished at the bottom of the majors in most offensive categories. Luckily, the Pirates have a wealth of pitching talent that could entice trade partners. It seems they are hurtling towards a deal with the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays that involves Mike Burrows and Brandon Lowe, which could bring exactly what Pittsburgh needed.
However, there was a less complicated path to a similar outcome. Here's what we predicted before things started bubbling up.