Late Wednesday night the Astros announced that they had struck a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Houston acquired SP Jeff Locke and RP Bruce Rondon from the Buccos in exchange for SP Scott Feldman and SP Collin McHugh. The announcement follows 36 hours of speculation that Feldman would be on the move for Locke.

Here's a breakdown of the deal:

What the Astros get:

LHP Jeff Locke (76 OVR, C Potential)

Starting pitcher Jeff Locke, 27, is a left hander with just over 2 years of MLB service time. Locke is under contract for 2015 only, at a price tag of $575K. He has a career record of 15-25 and an ERA of 4.88. This Spring he made 7 appearances for the Pirates, pitching 14.0 innings with a 2.57 ERA and no record. In 2014, Locke struggled to a 4-12 record with a 6.44 ERA as the Pirates were among the worst teams in baseball. However, in the Pirates playoff season of 2013 Locke was 10-7, 3.52.

RHP Bruce Rondon (65 OVR, B Potential)

Rondon, 24, has just 103 days of service time in the Majors and is under contract for this season only at $560K. His only time with Pittsburgh was in 2013 when he posted a 1-2 record, a Save and a 3.45 ERA.

What the Pirates get:

RHP Scott Feldman (77 OVR, C Potential)

Feldman is 32 years old and is coming off of a solid season with the Astros (10-7, 3.78) which followed a good 2013 (12-12, 3.86). In over 8 years of service time in Major League Baseball, Feldman is 61-63 with an ERA of 4.49. Scott made 4 starts for Houston this Spring going 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 13.0 innings. He is under contract through 2017 at $2.1M per season.

RHP Colin McHugh (63 OVR, D Potential)

McHugh, 27, has 125 days of service time and a career record of 0-8 with an 8.57 ERA. His contract takes him through the 2015 season and his salary id 500K.

What this trade does for the Astros:

The Astros clear almost $1.5M off of the books and free themselves of carrying Feldman's $2.1M salary to the age of 34. Houston also gets younger and acquires a left handed pitcher that should be in the big league rotation on Opening Day. The Astros have been in need of southpaws and they got one that they hope will return to his 2013 form which will be the biggest factor in determining which club got the best of this deal. Feldman isn't getting younger and he was just a stop gap for Houston as they continue to build for the future.

Bruce Rondon gives the Astros a legitimate relief prospect and Collin McHugh had no future with the Astros at the MLB level. He was just a warm body on the farm.

To make room on the 40-man Roster for Rondon, Houston placed SP Dallas Keuchel on outright assignment waivers. If he is not claimed by another club in the next 2 days, Keuchel will be assigned to Oklahoma City. Dallas, 27, has a career record of 9-18 with a 5.15 ERA and was 0-1, 2.57 in 7 innings this Spring.