Pirates Must Listen to Players' Brandon Lowe Wishes
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have just begun the offseason, but their players reminded them what the first order of business should be.
Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe is a free agent following the 2026 season and will test his worth and see what offers he receives this winter.
Lowe was the Pirates' best hitter in 2026 and the best power-hitting second baseman in baseball, making him a valuable player for any team looking to add to their lineup this offseason.
The Pirates players have made their opinions known on Lowe and what he means to them and the front office must listen to their pleas as they start planning this offseason.
Pirates Players Show Importance of Lowe
The Pirates players have already shown support for Lowe across this season, but their pleas towards the end of the season became more noticeable.
First baseman Ryan O'Hearn, outfielder Jake Mangum and All-Star starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft all noted why it's crucial they bring back their star second baseman in 2027.
Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones threw four scoreless innings in the season finale, a 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on Sept. 27.
Jones is bullish on what the Pirates can achieve next season and that Lowe should be a big part of it.
“We’ve got good bones as a team," Jones said. "Obviously, we want Brandon Lowe back in this clubhouse with us next year. If we can get that done in the offseason, that’s one hell of an offseason already.
"Like I said earlier this year, we just fought through injuries and they just so happened to be to some of our best players. That’s when times got rough. We keep all of us in the field, I truly do think we win 90 to 95 games next year.”
The Pirates are hoping rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin comes back even better in 2027 and he should do that if he's healthy.
Griffin noted how important Lowe was for the Pirates clinching a winning season and that he learned a great deal from his double-play partner in his first year in the major leagues.
"Yeah, I mean, we don't win [82] games without Brandon Lowe this year," Griffin said. "Him, Ryan O'Hearn, those two guys, they've changed the culture around here. What the Pirates want to see, a winning team, we don't do that without them.
"I'll say that Brandon, he's been awesome to play the middle with. I've learned a lot. He's just got a lot of really good experience at the highest level, going all the way up to the World Series. I can pick his brain so much on a lot of different things. It's helped me out a lot. It's been great to have those guys around."
Pirates Must Listen to the Players
It's clear how much Lowe means to his fellow Pirates teammates and it's up to the front office to show that same support for them.
The Pirates made big moves last offseason, trading for Lowe, Mangum and left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery and signing O'Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract.
Pittsburgh also signed Griffin to a record nine-year, $140 million contract extension five days after he debuted, committing their future to their young shortstop.
Signing Griffin, but letting Lowe walk, makes little sense, as the two would make for a fantastic double-play partnership again in 2027.
Lowe dominated for the Pirates in 2026, hitting 35 home runs and 96 RBI, while slashing .260/.331/.493 for an OPS of .824 and vastly improving defensively.
The Pirates need to show they're serious about making the postseason in 2027, and re-signing Lowe is a big part of that, something manager Don Kelly noted as well.
“Brandon’s been phenomenal," Kelly said about Lowe. "On the field, clubhouse, community. Everything that you would want in a player, he’s done a great job. We see the power and the offensive numbers. His defense, he’s worked extremely hard to get better and there’s no doubt we’d love to have him back in a Pirate uniform next year.”
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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.