Analyzing Lack of Internal Options at Second Base for Rays Following Massive Trade

The Tampa Bay Rays now have a massive question at second base following the trade of Brandon Lowe.

Sep 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) hits an rbi single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays sent some shockwaves through the majors on Friday with two massive trades. Now, it has resulted in a lot of new talent coming in, but some question marks to address. 

Heading into the winter, the Rays were always going to be an active team. After missing the playoffs for the last two years, the goal for Tampa Bay in 2026 is going to be to snap that streak. However, the team did take a bit of a step backward in achieving that goal by trading Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz on Friday. 

However, while the team might have gone back a little bit, the number of prospects that they received for each of them was impressive. The farm system of the Rays has dramatically improved, and that will give the franchise a lot of flexibility. 

Furthermore, there is still a long time to go this offseason, and there are a lot of options still available. Even though the team might not be as good as they were for 2026 as a couple of days ago, that can change quickly. 

Following the trades, there is a looming question mark about who will replace Lowe's production at second base. The All-Star slugger was fantastic in 2025 and replacing that production will be a challenge. 

Breaking Down Internal Options at Second Base

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Following the trade of Lowe to the Pittsburgh Pirates, there is a noticeable void at second base, and there is no clear answer for where the team will go. Currently, the front-runner internally to take over for the All-Star is Richie Palacios. 

Injuries have slowed down the early part of the career for the 28-year-old, but he does present the team with some upside. In a very small sample size of just 17 games in 2025, he slashed 333/.396/.452. However, when he played a bit more in 2024, he did show the ability to get on base at a high clip, and that is encouraging. 

Palacios figures to be the top option to replace Lowe, but perhaps top prospect Carson Williams could be an option as well if he switched over from shortstop. Neither option is a sure-fire replacement for what Lowe brought to the team, and Tampa Bay will certainly explore some external options. 

Overall, there is a lot of offseason still to go, and the Rays will likely be making a lot more moves before the start of the season. However, they do currently have a significant question mark at second base now.