Phillies Could Pursue This Power Bat to Replace Luis Arraez

The Philadelphia Phillies would surely love to keep Luis Arraez in free agency, especially considering the gargantuan impact he has had on the lineup since coming over at the MLB trade deadline. But what if Arraez departs?

In a rather thin free-agent class, Arraez will be one of the most highly sought-after bats this winter, and the Phillies could end up in a bidding war for his services.

Arraez is a terrific player for sure, but with Philadelphia watching its payroll rather tightly, it may not feel too comfortable giving a lengthy, lucrative contract to the 29-year-old.

So what are the alternatives?

If Arraez does bolt, the Phillies could always move Bryson Stott back to second base and try and find a third baseman. Or, they could explore one of the other second base options in free agency ... like Brandon Lowe.

Lowe isn't a big name, but he has a big bat.

The lefty slugger is slashing .257/.326/.476 with 29 home runs and 83 RBI over 601 plate appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates this season.

That's hardly an outlier for Lowe, who has twice smashed over 30 homers (he topped out at 39 with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2021) and owns a lifetime .806 OPS.

Yes, Philadelphia already has a couple of lefty power hitters in Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, but so what? Adding another certainly wouldn't hurt.

What's more, while Lowe has never been known as a good defender, he boasts a plus-13 DRS and plus-14 OAA at second base this season. He is a legitimate Gold Glove candidate, which should make him that much more appealing to the Phillies.

Why would Lowe potentially be cheaper than Arraez, then?

Well, there are a few caveats the Phillies are certainly going to note.

For one, Lowe is 32 years old, so signing him to a three or four-year contract probably isn't on Philadelphia's radar. He also has a rather checkered injury history, which makes his age that much more concerning.

Finally, while Lowe has been tremendous in the field this year, who is to say that his sudden defensive turnaround is sustainable?

Lowe might get a decent AAV based on his offensive production, but many teams will surely be wary of his drawbacks. And while that includes the Phillies, they may be tempted to acquire him on a short-term deal considering how much he could help the team in 2027.