Pirates May Have Hit Jackpot With This Offseason Move
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Six games into the 2026 season, the Pirates sit at 3-3. That record looks ordinary. The team does not.
Through the season’s first week, Pittsburgh feels transformed from the club that stumbled through 2025. The difference traces back to December, when general manager Ben Cherington swung a trade that may wind up defining the franchise’s climb back to relevance.
The acquisition of infielder Brandon Lowe and outfielder Jake Mangum, along with left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery, has injected power, defense and something the Pirates have seemingly lacked for years: genuine clubhouse energy.
Lowe, through five games, is tied with Oneil Cruz for the team lead with three home runs. Two of those came on Opening Day at Citi Field. His slash line stands at .333/.455/.889 across 22 at-bats. It is a small sample, but the at-bats have been professional and efficient, the opposite of the swing-and-miss stretches that plagued Pittsburgh’s lineup last season.
Brandon Lowe homers AGAIN... that's two home runs in two at bats for the new Pirate 🏴☠️
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) March 26, 2026
(📺 @NBCSports) pic.twitter.com/XuTjUJS1Hr
Early returns suggest Lowe will serve as the offensive anchor and a steady veteran presence in the middle of the order. He is the big thumper that the Pirates lacked for the past few seasons, and is a real threat to hit 40 home runs. The second baseman has also played solid defense so far, one area of his game that has been criticized.
Mangum has not yet produced at the plate. That part of his game remains a bit of projection — though his minor league track record and 2025 average hint at at least a high-floor basestealer who puts the ball in play. What he has already delivered is defense. In center field, Mangum has provided stability to a unit that has admittedly looked shaky thus far.
The less quantifiable impact, however, may be the more important one. Mangum has been a clear leader in the clubhouse, and the early vibe around the team bears little resemblance to the muted atmosphere of 2025. One symbol: the cone. During the recent series in Cincinnati, Mangum helped introduce a cone into the Pirates’ dugout, an object that became part of a “hoist the cone” ritual. The tradition emerged from an internet meme, but the buy-in was real. Players embraced it. The energy shifted.
.@mearshannah_ is with Jake Mangum & Billy Cook for the inside scoop on this dugout cone...
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) April 1, 2026
"If we're gonna have a cone in here, someone's gotta lift it up. It's not gonna hoist itself." 🤣 #HoistTheCone / @Pirates pic.twitter.com/Zb6oOaDBCm
The third piece of the December trade, reliever Mason Montgomery, has struggled in his limited innings. His stat line through the first week is not pretty, as he totes a 12.00 ERA. But the stuff is unmistakable. Plus velocity and swing-and-miss potential are the first two components to most successful relievers. If Montgomery can sharpen his location, the third component, he projects as an elite bullpen arm.
It wouldn't be fair to fully assess the trade without taking a peak at what the Pirates gave up in the deal. Pittsburgh sent starting pitcher Mike Burrows to the Houston Astros in the three-team deal that also included the Tampa Bay Rays. The Pirates felt comfortable trading Burrows becuase of the starting pitching depth that they went into the off-season with. So regardless of how Burrows performs with Houston, Cherington was okay with acquiring some offense by dealing from excess.
Burrows struggled in his first start with the Astros, tossing five and two-thirds innings while allowing five earned runs off nine hits. The righty had a much better start yesterday, going five innings while allowing only two runs and striking out six. It will be interesting to keep an eye on Burrows development with a notoriously strong group of pitching coaches in Houston.
The Pirates are a .500 team that feels like a much better one. The offense has more thump. The dugout has more life. And one winter trade appears to be a huge reason.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.