Blue Jays nemesis Brandon Lowe sent packing as Rays complete three-team trade

When the Toronto Blue Jays face the Tampa Bay Rays next season there will be one less familiar face in the lineup. The Rays executed a three-team trade that sends notorious Blue Jays masher Brandon Lowe out of the division.

The full deal sees the infielder Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery going to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Houston Astros picked up Mike Burrows from Pittsburgh, while the Rays gain two prospects; outfielder Jacob Melton and RHP Anderson Brito. Melton was the Astros No. 2 prospect while Brito was their No. 7.

It's a move that should excite the Blue Jays and their fans as they wave goodbye to a player who has always made life difficult for Toronto.

Blue Jays nemesis Brandon Lowe sent packing as Rays complete three-team trade

The deal looks like a rather good one for Pittsburgh. Getting Lowe who is an everyday outfielder, capable of 25+ home runs when he's healthy. Mangum was worth 1.6 bWAR last year in his first full season in the majors and hit .296/.330/.368 in 118 games with 27 stolen bases. The left-hander Montgomery will compete for a bullpen role with the Pirates in 2026.

All the Pirates gave up was the 26-year-old Burrows, who could be a really good front line starter at some point in his career. 2025 was his first full season in the majors and Burrows put together a solid year. He got into 23 games, including 19 starts for the Pirates with an ERA+ of 109, striking out 97 batters in 96 innings.

This bodes well for the Blue Jays who see a division rival in the Rays lose some assets, none more notable than Lowe who has produced a 17.8 bWAR over his eight year career. In 73 games against the Blue Jays, Lowe has slashed .268/.354/.571 with an OPS of .924 and 21 home runs - the most against any single team. In 2025 alone, Lowe hit .356 with an OPS of 1.116 while hitting five home runs and driving in 15 RBIs with 16 hits in 11 games.

But the Blue Jays may have to remember that the Rays are rarely outmaneuvered, especially on the trade market. Time and time again we've seen a trade come together that gives everyone pause, trying to wrap their heads around what the Rays were thinking, only for that trade to pay dividends for Tampa Bay down the road.

This isn't to say that Jacob Melton will turn into the next Lowe, or that Brito can be the next Blake Snell, but for the Rays to get two guys within a team's top five prospects should certainly put some pause on the Blue Jays getting too excited about the deal. Although for now, it will be nice for them not to have to face Lowe 13 times in 2026.