The Pittsburgh Pirates’ top acquisition from last offseason is going to be the topic of plenty of discussion in the upcoming offseason.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe has been what the Pirates hoped when they acquired him with left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery and outfielder Jake Mangum from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade in December. The Pirates sent right-hander Mike Burrows to the Houston Astros as part of the deal.
Lowe has provided the left-handed power the Pirates desperately needed after finishing last in runs scored in the major leagues last season. He leads the team with 27 home runs and 80 RBIs in 120 games while hitting .253/.318/.480. Not coincidentally, the Pirates are the fourth-highest scoring team in MLB this year.
Lowe’s latest heroics came Wednesday when he hit a walk-off home run off legendary closer Kenley Jansen in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Pirates to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park. After having Thursday off, the Pirates open a three-game series against the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Lowe’s 27 homers are the most in a season by a Pirates hitter since Bryan Reynolds went deep the same number of times in 2022. Additionally, Lowe’s 25 homers as a second baseman are a franchise record, surpassing Neil Walker’s 23 in 2014.
Throw in that Lowe is having the best season as a fielder of his nine-year career with 10 defensive runs saved, and he is easily the choice as the Pirates’ MVP this season.
Lowe for Burrows straight up would have been a steal. Considering the Pirates also got two other useful players in the deal, it is the best trade in General Manager Ben Cherington’s seven years on the job.
The bad news, though, is that Lowe will be eligible for free agency after the World Series. The Pirates will face a difficult decision.
The Pirates would gladly welcome back Lowe next season, but they have some important factors to consider. Most notably, Lowe is 32 and could go into the decline phase of his career at any time. Furthermore, Lowe should get a raise after making $11.5 million this season.
Lowe has repeatedly said he is happy with the Pirates, and it seems certain he would consider staying. Pittsburgh is a good match for a small-town guy from Virginia.
However, what would it take to keep Lowe? It seems certain that he would want a multi-year contract, but how high would the cost-conscious Pirates go? They stretched their budget this year to acquire Lowe.
Would a two-year, $30-million offer get a deal done? That would likely be the Pirates’ best offer.
It is hard to tell, especially without knowing what other teams might be willing to spend on Lowe. One thing is certain: the Pirates are a better team with Lowe in the lineup, and he would be difficult to replace.
The post appeared first on .
