Since arriving from the Tampa Bay Rays, veteran second baseman Brandon Lowe’s early-inning power surges and selfless approach have transformed the Pittsburgh Pirates' offense into one of the league’s most productive units.
Brandon Lowe ignited the Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense for a second straight game on Thursday.
Lowe’s first-inning home run opened the scoring, and the Pirates beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 at Chase Field. Pittsburgh took two of three in the series and has now won five of its last six games.
Lowe also homered in Wednesday’s first inning, providing the game’s only run. Paul Skenes and Gregory Soto preserved the 1-0 lead, allowing just two hits.
The Pirates have a 21-17 record, a significant turnaround for a franchise that has had eight straight losing seasons since 2018. Furthermore, Pittsburgh currently ranks seventh in runs scored among all major league teams, compared to its last-place finish in this category in 2023.
Lowe has fueled the Pirates’ turnaround after being acquired last December from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that included the Houston Astros. Since joining Pittsburgh, the 31-year-old is hitting .266/.368/.573 with 10 home runs in 32 games after going 3-for-5 on Thursday.
Lowe continues to downplay his impact. He did so again on Thursday when discussing his home run with reporters.
“I was just trying to pass the baton,” Lowe said of connecting off Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen.
Rather than taking the spotlight himself, Lowe prefers to give credit to left fielder Bryan Reynolds and right fielder Ryan O’Hearn.
"I know the two guys behind me in B-Rey and O’Hearn, they do some pretty good things when guys are on base,” Lowe said. “If I can be on for them, that’s a pretty big plus."
Lowe has been exactly what they were hoping for after he was a two-time All-Star during his eight seasons with the Rays
Lowe has 23 RBIs, ranking third on the team behind Oneil Cruz (28) and O’Hearn (24), but attributes his success to his teammates.
“It was just that (patience), the mentality of nobody selling their at-bats,” Lowe said. “Everybody is going up there and not trying to do anything that they are not capable of doing. No one was trying to hit a 500-foot home run. It was just, ‘Go up there, run off a good approach, take good swings.’”
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