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Reports: Pirates acquire 2B Brandon Lowe from Rays

The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to acquire a two-time All-Star, landing second baseman Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to multiple reports Friday.

The three-team trade, which includes the Houston Astros, will also bring left-hander Mason Montgomery and outfielder Jake Mangum from the Rays to the Pirates. Tampa Bay will get a pair of prospects from the Astros, who will receive right-hander Mike Burrows from the Pirates.

Lowe, 31, was named an American League All-Star for the second time in 2025 when he batted .256 with 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. Lowe, who was also an All-Star in 2019, is a career .247 hitter with 157 home runs and 446 RBIs in 745 games over eight seasons with the Rays.

Montgomery, 25, was 1-3 with a 5.67 ERA in 57 relief appearances for Tampa Bay in 2025, while Mangum, 29, batted .296 with 27 stolen bases as a rookie for the Rays last season.

Burrows, 26, was 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) for the Pirates last season.

The Rays will receive outfielder Jacob Melton and right-hander Anderson Brito. Melton, 25, made his major league debut in 2025 and batted .157 with seven RBIs in 32 games. Brito, 21, was in the Astros' system for two seasons and had four appearances (three starts) in the just-completed Arizona Fall League.

--Field Level Media

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 20, 2025

Reports: Pirates acquire 2B Brandon Lowe from Rays

The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to acquire a two-time All-Star, landing second baseman Brandon Lowe from the Tampa Bay ...

Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne eligible for Basketball Hall of Fame 2026 ballot

Candace Parkeris widely regarded as one of the best women's basketball players of all time with three WNBA championships, two league MVPs, one Finals MVP, and seven All-Star selections to her name.

Is first-ballotNaismith Basketball Hall of Famernext?

Parker is one of dozens of candidates eligible for the Class of 2026, which will be unveiled on April 4 during Final Four Weekend. Elena Delle Donne, Blake Griffin and the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team are among the first-time nominees announced Friday, while Chamique Holdsclaw, Doc Rivers and Amar'e Stoudemire return to the ballot.

"The candidates for the Class of 2026 have each left an indelible impact on the game of basketball," Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John L. Doleva said in a statement. "Through defining performances, influential leadership, and achievements that helped elevate the sport on the national and international stage, this year's ballot recognizes those whose legacy continues to shape how the game is played, coached, and celebrated."

Candace Parker acknowledges the crowd during a Los Angeles Sparks jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of a June game.

Parker and Delle Donne were both elected to theWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame'sClass of 2026 in their first year of eligibility in October and will be inducted on June 27, 2026.

Parker, who retired in 2024, played 16 seasons in the WNBA. She was a two-time WNBA MVP, a three-time champion and a 10-time All-WNBA selection. Parker's No. 3 jersey was retired by theLos Angeles Sparksand Chicago Sky during the summer.

Parker won WNBA Rookie of the Year and MVP in 2008, the only player to accomplish the feat. She's also the only WNBA player to rank in the top 10 in career points, assists, rebounds and blocks. Parker led Tennessee to back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008, winning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four both years.

Delle Donne helped the Washington Mystics to their only title in 2019. The two-time MVP became the first player in WNBA history to finish a regular season with a 50% field goal percentage, 40% 3-point field goal percentage and 90% free throw percentage during the 2019 season.