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Brandon Lowe’s Predicted Contract Is Perfect for Pirates
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- Brandon Lowe’s Predicted Contract Is Perfect for Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates ' entire offseason plans will revolve around what happens with Brandon Lowe.
What funds would it take to get the All-Star second baseman to stay in Pittsburgh? Where do the Pirates pivot next if Lowe signs elsewhere?
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The big question that everyone wants to know as the offseason gets underway is: what type of contract will the two-time All-Star infielder ask for from inquiring teams?
Jim Bowden, who is a former MLB general manager and current analyst for The Athletic, predicted that Lowe will sign a three-year $45 million contract this offseason.
If that is the deal Lowe gets on the open market, it would be a perfect contract for the Pirates to sign him to.
First, this proposed contract isn't much bigger than Lowe's contract from just a year ago.
Pittsburgh paid the veteran infielder $11.5 million in 2026. Bowden's proposed contract would have an AAV of $15 million a season. That would be a $3.5 million pay increase from a year ago, and would certainly be worth it for a hitter with 35 home runs and a .824 OPS a season ago, both of which are on par with his career numbers.
May 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Brandon Lowe (5) hits a two RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
The MLB analyst's proposed contract for Lowe also looks like a steal compared to other contracts in baseball.
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Focusing on the potential AAV of about $15 million, some players who were paid about that much in 2026 include Randy Arozarena, Andres Gimenez, J.T. Realmuto, and Andrew Benintendi, just to name a few. It's also cheaper than Tyler O'Neill, Josh Naylor, and Joc Pederson's yearly salaries from a year ago.
Lowe objectively had a better season at the plate than all of those players, and his defensive numbers were better than those of a majority of them.
Even compared to the qualifying offer, the Pirates shouldn't hesitate to offer Lowe , this contract would be a win for Pittsburgh.
With all that said, every reason why Bowden's proposed contract would be ultra team-friendly for Lowe is just one more reason why the player should be asking for more during contract negotiations, whether that be with the Pirates or another team.
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Sure, Lowe has had some injury concerns during his career, which could scare some teams off from a long-term deal. However, the stats speak for themselves when he's on the field.
The reality is that Lowe is coming off a career year, is the top hitter in a relatively thin free-agent class, and a handful of teams could be looking for an upgrade at second base.
While signing Lowe to Bowden's proposed contract would be a dream, it feels unlikely; Lowe will likely demand more money on the open market.
