To supplement their depth-starved starting rotation, the Houston Astros are acquiring right-hander Mike Burrows from the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a three-team trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, multiple league sources told The Athletic on Friday.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has revealed a bleak reality for Pittsburgh in that regard, noting that the Bucs will probably have to explore some trades to bolster their subpar lineup.

The Pittsburgh Pirates receive a bold take on Munetaka Murakami amid the player’s link to the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have looked at many different free agent bats this offseason, as they try and bolster one of the worst lineups in baseball i

"Trades could prove the Pirates’ best path if they repeatedly are spurned by free agents," Rosenthal writes. "Kyle Schwarber rejected them, and so could others who prefer to play for more competitive teams. Already, one person in the industry has created a term for a Pittsburgh club that might keep finishing as runners-up: 'Pirates-maids.'"