Pirates Must Take Action After Brandon Lowe Comments
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PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe has been their best player this season and someone they must retain for the future.
Lowe becomes a free agent at the end of this season, and teams across MLB will vie for his services for the next few years, as he is one of the best talents available.
The Pirates haven't had contract extension talks with Lowe, and it's unlikely they'll do so over the final eight games, so they'll have to wait for this winter before they make a serious move on Lowe.
Lowe said he's "all ears" on returning to the Pirates, in an interview with Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who also revealed the ball club is interested in bringing him back.
The Pirates must take advantage of Lowe's interest and secure his future this winter.
Why the Pirates Need to Re-Sign Lowe
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington made the best trade of his tenure when he landed Lowe, along with left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery and outfielder Jake Mangum from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Lowe was exactly what the Pirates needed: a veteran with postseason experience and a left-handed power bat suited for the right field wall at PNC Park.
The Pirates have gotten all of that and then some from Lowe, who has been the best power-hitting second baseman in baseball, a leader for a young team, and has also greatly improved defensively.
His 32 home runs lead the Pirates, are the most for any second baseman in baseball and are tied for the 11th-most in MLB.
Lowe's production helped the Pirates go from hitting the least home runs in baseball in 2025 (117) to setting a franchise record in 2026 (176).
His defense might be the most impressive part, as Lowe went from one of the worst fielding second baseman to one of the best.
Lowe turned his -14 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -10 outs above average (OAA) with the Rays last season to +14 DRS and +12 OAA to the Pirates this season.
All of these attributes make Lowe a hugely important player and one they can't let go of.
Payroll Can't Be Factor for Lowe
It's no secret that the Pirates have one of the smallest payrolls in baseball under owner Bob Nutting, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.
The Pirates aren't a franchise that makes huge financial commitments, but they've shown that by signing free agent Ryan O'Hearn to a two-year, $29 million deal and inking rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin to a record nine-year, $140 million contract extension shortly after his MLB debut.
Both deals are a deviation from the norm for the Pirates, making O'Hearn their first multi-year free-agent signing since 2016 and committing their future to Griffin when he was 19 years old.
Re-signing Lowe should be much the same for the Pirates, who will face stiff competition for his signature this winter.
The looming lockout, which comes with the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on Dec. 1, should also not sway the Pirates and their pursuit of Lowe.
Pittsburgh is out of playoff contention this season, but there is reason to believe they can finally achieve that goal in 2027.
Lowe joins a great lineup with the likes of outfielders in Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez, first baseman Spencer Horwitz, third baseman Nick Gonzales, catcher Rafael Flores Jr., plus Lowe and Griffin.
The Pirates also have a strong starting rotation, Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler, Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, plus an improved bullpen following the trade deadline.
Pittsburgh had a solid offseason last year, but they should aim even higher this year, going after the players they need to end their 11-year postseason drought.
Re-signing Lowe shows that commitment and convinces a beleaguered fan base that they should have faith in the 2027 Pirates to turn it 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.