The three-team trade between the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Rays has quickly become known as the Brandon Lowe trade, and for good reason.
The two-time All Star is coming off a season in which he hit .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs, good for a 114 wRC+. After averaging a 123 wRC+ over his career, Lowe immediately becomes the most credible power threat in a lineup that desperately needed a middle-of-the-order slugger.
However, he wasn't the only player Pittsburgh brought in for the expendable price of Mike Burrows. The Pirates also received Jake Magnum, a contact-first outfielder with five years of team control who provides excellent speed and defense, and Mason Montgomery, a 25-year-old lefty reliever who routinely dials his fastball up over 100 mph.