PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have made little significant moves in previous offseasons, but their activity this winter has come with a more aggressive strategy and better results.
The Pirates swung a massive, three-team trade, landing power-hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery from the Tampa Bay Rays, while sending right-handed starting pitcher Mike Burrows to the Houston Astros, who sent two top prospects to the Rays.
Pittsburgh also landed top 100 prospect in outfielder Jhostynxon García and 18-year old right-handed pitcher Jesus Travieso from the Boston Red Sox, while trading away right-handed starting pitcher Johan Oviedo and prospects in left-handed relief pitcher Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman.
The biggest move of all for the Pirates was the signing of free agent slugger Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million deal.
MLB teams, fans and now national media have taken notice of the Pirates’ business this offseason, with one writer giving them heavy praise.
Pirates Ranked Amongst Most Improved Teams This Offseason
Jim Bowden of The Athletic named the seven most improved teams this offseason and put the Pirates second on the list.
Only the Baltimore Orioles came ahead of the Pirates in first place. The Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Kansas City Royals ranked third through seventh, respectively.
Bowden liked the moves the Pirates made for improving their lineup, after they’ve spent years building a strong pitching staff, with 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes at the helm.
Sep 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
He praised Pirates general manager Ben Cherington for his aggressive moves in bringing in Lowe, who led all second baseman with 31 home runs in 2025, and O’Hearn, who had a great season from the plate with both the Orioles and the San Diego Padres.
Bowden also enjoyed the addition of García, who has the potential for great power and will fight for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
He is also excited for the eventual debut of Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball, who could also make the Pirates Opening Day roster out of Spring Training.
“The Pirates’ offense looks much more competitive than it did at the end of last season and they appear to be going from pretender to contender thanks to the solid work of their GM,” Bowden wrote.
Why These Offseason Moves Make the Pirates Better in 2026
The Pirates came into this offseason with goals of improving their lineup, after putting up some of the worst offensive metrics in baseball in 2025.
Stat
Total
MLB Rank
Batting Average
.231
28th
On-Base Percentage
.305
23rd
Slugging Percentage
.350
30th
OPS
.655
30th
Stat
Total
MLB Rank
Hits
1,244
28th
Home Runs
117
30th
RBI
561
30th
Runs Scored
583
30th
Total Bases
1,882
30th
Lowe has great power and should thrive as a left-handed bat in PNC Park, which is better for lefty-hitters. He is also a great clubhouse addition and has years of winning with the Rays, another small market team like the Pirates.
O’Hearn represents the first multi-year free agent signing since right-handed starting pitcher Ivan Nova for three years, $27 million on Dec. 27, 2016. It is also the first multi-year free agent position player signing since outfielder John Jaso for two years, $8 million on Dec. 23, 2015, a decade prior.
Sep 27, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Ryan O’Hearn (32) gestures after hitting a double during the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
He is another left-handed bat and has two All-Star appearances over the past three seasons, averaging around an .800 OPS each season.
García has just seven at-bats in the major leagues, but the promise of his power with years of team control makes it a smart addition for the Pirates.
Mangum brings a great attitude and was a .300 hitter his first season at the major league level, while also someone that can play all three outfield spots.
The Pirates’ addition of Montgomery is important, as they needed a left-handed relief pitcher. They also signed free agent Gregory Soto, another lefty reliever, on a one-year, $7.75 million deal.
Pittsburgh could use another big-time bat, plus a left-handed starting pitcher and a closer, but the moves they’ve made so far clearly make them a better team for next season.