Brandon Lowe Should Be Big Part of Pirates Future
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the best second basemen in Brandon Lowe, and they can't let him leave this offseason.
Lowe is out of contract at the end of this season and will become a top free agent, as teams will be vying for the services of one of the best second basemen available.
It's been a strong season for Lowe, whom the Pirates traded for last offseason, and he has provided great power and improved defense throughout 2026.
The Pirates will have a tough task in bringing Lowe back, but they must do everything they can to ensure he's with the team for the foreseeable future.
Lowe Brings Necessary Power
A big part of the Pirates adding Lowe was his left-handed power that could excel at PNC Park.
Lowe has done just that, with 29 home runs and 26 of those to right field, plus 15 home runs at home, all of which he has hit over the Roberto Clemente Wall (21 feet high).
His swing has made for some great home runs at PNC Park, particularly his walk-off home run off the right-field foul pole for a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 19.
Lowe's 29 home runs are the most for any Pirates player this season and the most for any second baseman in a single season in franchise history, eclipsing the 23 home runs Neil Walker hit in 2014.
He ranks 10th in the National League and 19th in MLB with home runs, making him the Pirates' best home run hitter.
Lowe is also the best power-hitting second baseman in baseball, with the most home runs, tied for the best slugging percentage (.474) and the second-best OPS (.801) in 2026.
The Pirates were the worst power-hitting team last season, but Lowe joining the team has greatly changed things around for them and they can rely on him and others to send some balls out.
Pittsburgh can't replace those power numbers if they let Lowe go, so they need him around for that.
Developing Into a Top Defensive Second Baseman
A major concern for Lowe when he joined the Pirates was his poor defense: -14 outs above average (OAA) and -14 defensive runs saved (DRS) in 2025, the worst and second-worst for all second basemen.
Lowe has turned things around brilliantly in 2026, with 14 OAA and 13 DRS, second-best and tied for fourth-best amongst second basemen.
Pirates infield coach Chris Truby put in tons of work with Lowe since he joined, and he's grown into one of the more confident defensive players on the team and put himself in the conversation for a Gold Glove Award at the end of the season.
Lowe has also been a big improvement over Nick Gonzales at second base, who posted 3 OAA and -11 DRS last season, and would do so again if he rejoins the Pirates.
It's also a source of pride for Lowe, who sees the work other Pirates do defensively and just wants to do the same.
“Yeah, we’ve been working really hard to make sure we’ve taken a good jump in the right direction for that whole thing," Lowe said after the Pirates' 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 13.
"Our guys, whenever they show that rubber, have given the best that they can, so I want to be able to make sure that I give them the best defense that I can out there. I think it’s going pretty well this year.”
A Veteran Presence Needed for Sustained Winning
The Pirates haven't won much in recent years, with their last season above .500 coming in 2018 and their previous postseason appearance back in 2015.
Pittsburgh is currently 75-75 with 12 games remaining, but also 6.5 games back in the National League Wild Card race, making the proposition for ending both streaks quite hard this season.
Building a winning culture takes more than one offseason, but it also requires keeping those players who can change games in one instant, with just one swing.
Lowe showed that winning desire both ways against the Cubs, with a two-run pinch-hit single to put the Pirates up 4-2 in the sixth inning and then making a great leaping grab to rob left fielder Ian Happ of a single in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Lowe climbed the ladder for that one! pic.twitter.com/6l3p0kxiX8
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 13, 2026
Those kinds of plays, particularly for a veteran coming off the bench, are incredibly important for having a winning culture, and you can't just replace it in the aggregate: you need players like Lowe on your team.
Lowe is also a leader in the clubhouse and someone that the younger players can learn from and rely on in tough moments.
Pirates rookie starting pitcher Bubba Chandler noted Lowe's importance to the clubhouse and what he means to the team, as they try and build that winning culture for the future.
"I’ll start with the defense," Chandler said. "He was pegged with being a better hitter than fielder over his career. He’s an unbelievable hitter, but I think what he’s done in the field is pretty darn good. He’s a heck of a second baseman. He doesn’t really get the credit he deserves. It’s tough when you have a Wetherholt in your division. Turang in your division.
"But he came off cold today, came in got the biggest hit of the night. It’s a testament to how much of a pro he is and how he goes about his business, how he prepares to be ready for that moment. He’s a spark.
"Dude has had an unbelievable career and unbelievable year. It’s little stuff like him not being an All-Star that pisses everyone in here off. What he means to the team is everything. I hope he sticks around.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.