When the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays were part of a three-team trade, Jake Mangum was an under-the-radar part of the deal.
Power hitter Brandon Lowe, who racked up 31 home runs, was the major addition to the Pirate lineup. He was brought in to help a weak batting lineup generate more out of the long ball, something the organization hasn’t done well in years.
But Mangum’s services were also sought to help supplement the offense. And even if Mangum had only made his major league debut at age 29, his reputation as a high-energy ballplayer and a super fun guy to watch had fans already in his corner.
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