The 31-year-old Lowe has consistently been an above-average hitter throughout his big league tenure, dating back to his MLB debut in 2018. That includes 2025, when Lowe hit 31 home runs in just 134 games. The left-handed slugger posted an overall batting line of .256/.307/.477. Although his 6.9% walk rate was the lowest of his career, Lowe’s average exit velocity of 93.5 mph and 46.4% hard-hit percentage were among the best he has posted in his eight Major League seasons.
Over the course of those eight big league campaigns, Lowe was a .247/.326/.481 hitter with 157 home runs, 126 doubles, 12 triples, 33 steals, a 9.4% walk rate and a 27.3% strikeout rate. He is generally rated as a solid defensive second baseman, although he was trailed by both Defensive Runs Saved (-14) and Statcast’s Outs Above Average (-13) during the 2025 season. It should be mentioned that he missed time in ’25 with ankle and oblique injuries, both of which could have impacted him defensively. These diseases only contributed to a relatively long injury history; Lowe has also missed time due to multiple back injuries, a shin bruise and a broken kneecap.
Pittsburgh stands as a clear and obvious fit. The Bucs are looking for power bats to add to the lineup, and Lowe has more power from the left side — an important distinction for Pirates targets, as PNC Park is the toughest environment in the MLB for right-handed home run power. It’s generally a pitcher-friendly venue, but left-handed power isn’t nearly as suppressed as right-handed pop.
The Pirates lack a clear option at second base. Former top-10 pick Nick Gonzales hasn’t had a hit in parts of three big league seasons, slashing just .257/.300/.375. Even if the Pirates want to take another look at him, it could come at a different position. Gonzales played a career-high 109 innings at shortstop last year and has played third base. Nick Yorkeanother former first-rounder (2020) that Pittsburgh acquired from the Red Sox in return Quinn Priesterhas struggled in a small sample size of 33 MLB games. Former top prospect Termarr Johnson had a nice season in Double-A last year, but is only 21 years old and has yet to play at the Triple-A level. Lowe could serve as a bridge for Johnson, the fourth overall pick in 2022.
It’s been an unusually aggressive offseason for the Pirates, even if their efforts in free agency haven’t paid off yet. They were reportedly willing to make an offer Josh Naylor approximately $80 million and did a franchise record of $120-125 million Kyle Schwarber before agreeing to return to the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal. Adding Lowe in a trade with Tampa Bay wouldn’t be much of a surprise, but could provide some of the punch the Bucs are known to be looking for in support of their stellar young rotation. Considering the Bucs were willing to make the reported efforts against Naylor and especially Schwarber, Lowe’s $11.5 million salary shouldn’t be a deterrent at all.
For the Reds, Lowe isn’t as clean, at least not at second base. Cincinnati hopes the former first-round pick and Rookie of the Year will end up at fifth Matt McLain can bounce back after a brutal showing in 2025. McLain hit .290/.357/.507 with 16 home runs and 14 steals in just 89 games as a rookie in 2023 before missing the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery. He returned in 2025, but compiled just a .220/.300/.343 line in 147 games.
Even with McLain likely taking up some of the time at second base, there could be room for Lowe. First and foremost, McLain still has a slew of minor league options left. Cincinnati could try to get him back on track at Triple-A Louisville if he struggles next spring. Lowe also has experience in left field and first base. Additionally, each player could do occasional DH work. McLain is a talented defender, but some relative downtime at DH could potentially keep him healthier. He made just three DH appearances last season.
An outside-the-box opportunity for the Rays and their longtime second baseman could hinge on Tampa Bay’s interest in the Diamondbacks star Kettle Marte. The Rays have inquired with the Snakes about Marte, according to The Athleticand one scenario they have considered could send Brandon Lowe to Arizona as part of that return. Tampa Bay would certainly need to add some immediate rotation help and probably some prospect value as well to get even the D-backs to consider the possibility.
The Diamondbacks have repeatedly downplayed the swirling wave of trade rumors surrounding Marte, who is signed for another six years and $102.5 million. General manager Mike Hazen has publicly called a trade “unlikely” but acknowledged he never outright dismisses interest in any player. He will always listen to teams as a matter of commitment. Hazen has also claimed that teams have repeatedly inquired about Marte in recent seasons, but that attention simply hasn’t generated as much public talk as this time. Still, the Rays are an interesting newcomer in the bidding, if only because their ongoing payroll concerns make them an unexpected landing spot for a player with more than $100 million left on his contract.
In all of these trade scenarios, there are plenty of interconnected pieces at play involving the Rays, Pirates, Reds, and D-backs. The Reds, Rosenthal and Sammon note, are also interested in Marte. Like Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, they have plenty of affordable young pitchers to dangle in trade talks. The Diamondbacks don’t want to part with Marte, but the Reds, Pirates and Rays have more pitching to convince Arizona than many of their league rivals.
#Pirates #Reds #among #teams #interested #Brandon #Lowe