The Major League Baseball offseason for 2025-26 is still underway, with the winter meetings now behind us. This period is filled with ongoing buzz about free agent signings, trades, and other moves. Here’s a quick update from Friday’s news.
The Pirates, Astros, and Rays are reportedly negotiating a three-team trade involving infielder Brandon Lowe moving to Pittsburgh and right-hander Mike Burrows heading to Houston, with several prospects going to the Rays. Lowe, a 31-year-old second baseman known for his power hitting, hit 31 home runs in 2025 and had a career-high 39 homers in 2021. Over eight seasons, he has posted a 123 OPS+ and 17.8 WAR. Burrows, a 26-year-old rookie last season, pitched 96 innings with an ERA above 5.00 and a 4.00 FIP, starting 19 of his 23 games. His fastball averaged 95.5 mph, and he struck out 43.1% of batters with his changeup.
If finalized, the deal will also include KBO standout Son Sung-moon, who recently signed with the Padres for about $13 million over three years. Son, 29, has a career batting average of .283/.347/.431 in South Korea’s KBO league, but has significantly improved recently with a .315/.387/.530 line, 26 home runs, and 25 stolen bases in 2025. Though primarily a third baseman, Son has experience playing second and first base.
Additionally, the Royals acquired veteran lefty reliever Matt Stram from the Phillies in exchange for right-hander Jonathan Boran. Stram, 34, under contract through 2026 with a $4.5 million option, has appeared in 395 MLB games over 10 seasons, boasting a 3.56 FIP. Notably, he posted a remarkable 2.30 ERA with 149 strikeouts in the last two seasons combined and was an All-Star in 2024. Boran, 29, has appeared in 37 games and held a 3.86 ERA with a 2.71 K/BB ratio in 44 innings last season.
Late Friday, the Phillies acquired left-handed reliever Kyle Backhus from the Diamondbacks. Backhus, 27, pitched in 32 games in 2025 with a 4.62 ERA, excelling against left-handed hitters but struggling against right-handers. The Diamondbacks received minor league outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu in return.
Fan Take: These trades and signings highlight how teams are strategically investing in both proven veterans and promising international talent to bolster their rosters. For baseball fans, this period of transformation brings exciting potential shifts in team dynamics and fresh storylines to follow throughout the upcoming season.
