The Tampa Bay Rays are going to the World Series. The Pittsburgh Pirates are left staring at another winter of hard questions. That alone would sting, but the trade that tied the two teams together last offseason makes the contrast feel even harsher.
Tampa Bay clinched its spot in the Fall Classic with a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, locking up its first AL pennant since 2020. The Rays finished the regular season with 98 wins and are now four victories from the first World Series title in franchise history.
What makes that run so brutal for Pittsburgh is that Tampa Bay did it after moving three players who ended up helping the Pirates right away.
Last December, Pittsburgh landed Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery in a three-team deal with the Rays and Houston Astros. The Pirates sent right-hander Mike Burrows to Houston, while Tampa Bay got prospects Jacob Melton and Anderson Brito.
At the time, the move was one of general manager Ben Cherington’s boldest attempts to patch obvious holes on the roster. In practical terms, it paid off.
Lowe gave Pittsburgh the kind of middle-of-the-order punch it desperately needed, hitting .260 with 35 home runs, 96 RBI and a career-high 5.4 bWAR. He also turned himself into a Gold Glove finalist after a huge defensive improvement at second base.
Mangum settled in as useful outfield depth, batting .276 with 120 hits and 23 stolen bases. Montgomery became a weapon out of the bullpen, finishing with a 2.88 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings. His late-season surge earned him National League Reliever of the Month honors in September.
That’s the part that should have made the trade a win for Pittsburgh. Getting three real big-league contributors in one shot is no small thing. But Tampa Bay’s response to losing them is what turns the whole story sour for the Pirates.
The Rays moved on, kept winning and still reached the top of the American League. Pittsburgh got strong production from all three players and still finished 82-80, nowhere near the postseason. That’s the difference between making a good deal and building a team that can actually sustain a run.
Tampa Bay also didn’t sit back after the trade. The Rays kept adding to the roster, including the deadline acquisition of eventual ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, spent the year dealing with offensive inconsistency, injuries and the same roster shortcomings that even its best additions couldn’t fix.
Now there’s a fresh layer of discomfort for the Pirates this offseason. Lowe is approaching free agency after what may have been the best all-around season of his career, and Cherington has said he’s interested in bringing him back.
Interest is one thing. Paying to keep him is another.
That leaves Pittsburgh with the real possibility of losing the most valuable piece of its biggest offseason trade after only one year, and still having no playoff berth to show for it.
Cherington deserves credit for swinging big. But a strong trade only matters so much when the larger mission still falls short.
The Rays showed that a club can make tough roster choices and still chase a championship. The Pirates showed that even a trade this good can get swallowed up if the rest of the roster isn’t strong enough.
Without a proper replacement, one of Cherington’s best moves may end up as another painful reminder of what was wasted.
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