The Pittsburgh Pirates finished last season with three rookies in their starting rotation, and Mike Burrows was the least-hyped of that trio.
Braxton Ashcraft arrived in the major leagues in late May and had a 2.71 ERA in 26 games (eight starts) and 69 2/3 innings while striking out 71. Bubba Chandler made his MLB debut in August and was considered the best pitching prospect in baseball when promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis.
Then there was Burrows, who quietly pitched to a 3.94 ERA over 23 games (19 starts) and 96 innings. He also had 91 strikeouts. Burrows might not have been flashy, but he made a good enough impression that teams are inquiring about the 26-year-old’s availability in trade talks.
The Pirates don’t necessarily want to trade Burrows, but they are willing to listen to offers in a quest to upgrade an offense that was in MLB in runs scored, home runs, and OPS this season. The Houston Astros are reportedly one team interested in Burrows, as their rotation is unsettled behind Hunter Brown, who finished third in the American League Cy Young voting this year.
So, what would the Astros give up for Burrows? According to industry sources, they are unlikely to part with a quality veteran hitter but would give up an intriguing young player, such as left-handed-hitting outfielder Jacob Melton.
Melton made his MLB debut this season and was overmatched in 32 games, hitting .157/.234/.186 with seven stolen bases. The 25-year-old, who was a second-round draft pick in 2022, batted .286/.389/.556 with six homers and 12 steals in just 35 games with Triple-A Sugar Land.
Baseball America ranked Melton as the game’s 88th-best prospect prior to the 2024 season. He is currently the Astros’ No. 2 prospect in MLB.com’s rankings.
The Pirates would like to add another left-handed relief pitcher even after agreeing to terms on a one-year, $7.75-million contract with free agent Gregory Soto earlier this week. The Astros could offer Bennett Sousa, who had a 2.84 ERA in 44 relief appearances and 59 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings this past season. The 30-year-old is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter but is likely to have a salary in the range of $1 million-$1.25 million next season.
The Astros might be willing to add a prospect to the deal, perhaps right-hander Alonzo Tredwell, who was their second-round pick in 2023. The 23-year-old pitched at three minor-league levels in 2025, finishing the season in Double-A, and posted a 4.14 ERA in 26 games (16 starts), striking out 122 in 100 innings.
The Pirates acquired one inexperienced outfielder this month when they traded with the Boston Red Sox for Jhostynxon Garica. Would Pirates general manager Ben Cherington make another upside play for someone like Melton or just hang on to Burrows? It would be something to ponder.