Brandon Lowe Surprisingly Linked to Low-Budget National League Team Similar to Rays
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The MLB trade rumor mill is heating up, and the Tampa Bay Rays are one of the teams that have been mentioned most prominently.
Shockingly, they are one of the teams that are reportedly on the radar for Arizona Diamondbacks star second baseman Ketel Marte. Not a franchise known for spending, even being mentioned as a potential suitor for the three-time All-Star, is a sign of changing times for the franchise.
The connection to Marte makes sense because the Rays need to find some upgrades for their lineup offensively. If they want to return to the playoff picture in the American League, they need to score more runs.
Part of the reason they could be in on Marte is also as a replacement for their own second baseman, Brandon Lowe.
Pirates named ideal fit for Brandon Lowe
Regarded as one of the best trade chips on the market this winter, he is not lacking for suitors. There are even a few surprise teams mentioned as potential landing spots for him, such as the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In a recent MLB offseason update provided by Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic (subscription required), the normally frugal Pirates were mentioned as an ideal fit for the left-handed hitting second baseman.
Like Tampa Bay, they desperately need to find upgrades for their offense. They are wasting historic performances from 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and a dominant starting pitching staff.
With even a league-average offense, Pittsburgh would be a scary team to face off against because of how good their starting pitching is. In 2026, their rotation could feature some combination of star prospect Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft, Mitch Keller, Jared Jones, Mike Burrows and Tom Harrington behind Skenes.
Brandon Lowe would be massive offensive upgrade for Pirates
Not big spenders, the thought process behind Lowe being a great fit for the Pirates is that they might find more success addressing their need for left-handed hitters on the trade market.
For all the same reasons why the Rays shouldn't trade away Lowe, he is an ideal fit for Pittsburgh.
An All-Star for the second time in his career this past year, Lowe is one of the most productive offensive players at his position in the league. When healthy, he is a legitimate middle-of-the-order source of power and run production.
In 2025, he hit 31 home runs and had 83 RBI. There are some concerns about his walk rate plummeting, but he remained an elite source of offense from a position not normally known for power numbers at the plate.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.