We’ve seen a very different version of the Pittsburgh Pirates this winter.
General manager Ben Cherington has played this offseason much more aggressively, and the organization has opened up their checkbook far more than they usually do.
Among the surprising moves was a three-team trade that saw the Pirates send righty starter Mike Burrows to Houston, and land a trio of players from Tampa Bay, headlined by second baseman Brandon Lowe.
Mason Montgomery, a lefty reliever, and Jake Mangum, a switch-hitting outfielder also tagged along in the trade to Pittsburgh.
Montgomery is an interesting arm who, with the right development, might flourish in Pittsburgh. But the piece that can even further help their offense is Mangum.
Pirates fans might remember Mangum as a guy who torched them during Pittsburgh’s second series of the year, on the road against Tampa Bay. In three games against his future team, he went 8-for-12 with four RBI, three stolen bases, and just one strikeout.
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