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Lowe, Ashcraft Win Pirates 2026 BBWAA Team Awards
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- Lowe, Ashcraft Win Pirates 2026 BBWAA Team Awards
Lowe, Ashcraft Win Pirates 2026 BBWAA Team Awards
PITTSBURGH — In his first season with the Pirates , second baseman Brandon Lowe has won the Roberto Clemente Award (team MVP). And in his first full season as a starting pitcher with the team, Braxton Ashcraft has won the Steve Blass Award (team Cy Young). The awards, both of which were unanimous, are voted on by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Lowe has totaled 145 games for the Pirates this season and is batting .262/.332/.492 with 29 doubles, one triple, 33 home runs, 93 RBI and two stolen bases. He paces the team in home runs, RBI and bWAR (5.2). Lowe leads all MLB second baseman in home runs, OPS (.824) and slugging percentage and is tied for first in RBI.
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"It's obviously a great honor to win it, especially with the talent that's in this clubhouse," said Lowe of the honor. "On top of that, I'm not in the position that I am and I don't have the numbers that I have without the guys in this clubhouse. It's great to win it, but I don't win it without the guys in here. Being in the lineup, being where I am, having the protection from other guys in the lineup and other guys getting on base in front of me, it's a team game for a reason."
Lowe is on pace to become the first player since Adam LaRoche in 2007 to lead the Pirates in home runs and RBI in his first season with the team. He's also looking to become the first Pirate to win a Silver Slugger since Andrew McCutchen in 2015.
While the Pirates expected Lowe to provide offensively when they acquired him from the Rays in the offseason, the 32-year-old has surprised with the quality of his defense at second base. After posting -14 DRS and -14 OAA with Tampa Bay last season, Lowe has +14 DRS and +14 OAA this year.
"Brandon has been unbelievable," said manager Don Kelly . "What he's meant on the field, in the clubhouse, in the community, you can't put into words, really. We all see the homers but the defense, the baserunning, the power, the hitter. What he's meant in the clubhouse has been phenomenal."
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Ashcraft led the Pirates starting rotation this season. Prior to landing on the injured list earlier this month, the 26-year-old went 14-5 with a 3.65 ERA in 28 starts. In 165.1 innings, Ashcraft allowed 67 earned runs on 145 hits with 35 walks and 173 strikeouts. He was named a National League All-Star for the first time.
"That's a huge honor," said Ashcraft. "I look around this clubhouse and look at a few guys that I would personally probably deem a little bit more deserving of it. But again, it's a huge honor. It's something that, this year I set out to be available, effective and to cover my innings. Just grateful to have done that at the level that I did."
Ashcraft ranks fifth among National League starters in WHIP (1.09), is tied for fifth in wins and ranks 11th in strikeouts despite missing his last few turns in the rotation.
The right-hander became the first Pirates starter to throw a nine-inning complete game since Mitch Keller in 2024 when he accomplished the feat on Aug. 13 in Miami . His 14 wins are the most by a Pirates pitcher since Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams each had 14 in 2018.
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"To take that next step, to be a starter, to earn an All-Star nod – he totally earned that and totally earned the nomination from you all, as well." said Kelly. "He was very consistent throughout the year and really did a great job."
In addition to Lowe and Ashcraft, outfielder Jake Mangum was the recipient of the Chuck Tanner Award, given to the player most cooperative with the media. Mangum is the first player to win the award in his first season with the Pirates since LaRoche in 2007.
"It's a treat," Kelly said when asked what it's like managing Mangum. "When you sit there and see the way that he shows up every day, competes every day, plays hard every day, regardless of what's going on, he's going to give you everything he's got and more on a daily basis."
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