Calls For Pirates to Extend Brandon Lowe Increasing

The Pittsburgh Pirates would be wise to lock down arguably the best second baseman in 2026 long-term.

by Andrew Jamieson

Sep 25, 2026

Brandon Lowe (5) of the Pittsburgh Pirates

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Brandon Lowe has been as good as the Pittsburgh Pirates could’ve asked for in his first season with the team.

Over 148 games this season, the 32-year-old is slashing .262/.332/.493 with 34 home runs and 95 RBI. Lowe leads all MLB second basemen in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and OPS (.825).

Beyond his stellar offensive campaign, Lowe has gone from one of baseball’s worst defenders in 2025 to one of its best a year later. His -14 Outs Above Average with the Tampa Bay Rays last season was tied for the worst mark among qualified MLB fielders.

But fast-forward to 2026, and Lowe looks like those 2025 defensive struggles never happened. His Outs Above Average mark has flipped from -14 to +14, which ranks in the 98th percentile in the majors and second among all second basemen. Only St. Louis Cardinals‘ rookie JJ Wetherholt has a higher Outs Above Average at the position (+24).

Lowe will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. A major offseason priority for the Pirates should be doing everything they can to bring him back. Calls for a contract extension for Lowe have already been made.

Ryan O’Hearn, Konnor Griffin Among Players Who Want Brandon Lowe Back Next Year

Fellow offseason acquisition Ryan O’Hearn was very blunt when asked if he wanted Lowe back in Pittsburgh beyond 2026.

“Are you asking me if I would love to have a guy that hits 30-plus [homers] and probably 100 RBIs, that plays Gold Glove second base, and is a stud in the clubhouse?” O’Hearn said. “Yeah, I would love to have that guy back.”

Lowe has been an instrumental piece in the Pirates’ major offensive turnaround this season. After scoring an MLB-worst 583 runs last season, that number has skyrocketed to 753 with three games to play in 2026, the sixth-best total in the majors.

While new pieces have been a major factor, Pittsburgh also has several young players generating serious excitement about the Pirates’ future. Budding 20-year-old star shortstop Konnor Griffin has hit .270 with a .715 OPS over his injury-riddled rookie season, while outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez hit 17 home runs and posted an .855 OPS over 72 games before a left hamstring strain sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Griffin spoke about that optimism following Pittsburgh’s 2-1 victory over the Cardinals on Thursday.

“We’ve got a really good core of starting pitching, we’re returning a lot of players offensively, and we’re hoping to have Brandon Lowe be with us still,” Griffin said.

Significant roster moves pay dividends, and the Pirates’ trade for Lowe last December has done just that.

He has arguably been the best player for a Pittsburgh squad that will not finish below .500 for the first time since 2018. Now, the organization must keep its biggest contributor from 2026 to increase its win total and potentially clinch a playoff appearance next season.

The Pirates (81-78) will look to clinch a winning season in their final series, beginning Friday against the Detroit Tigers at 6:40 pm ET.