Blue Jays Floated as Suitor for Pirates Star Who Pittsburgh Needs to Re-Sign

The Pittsburgh Pirates were impressive for much of the season, though it still failed to result in a playoff appearance.

Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, things are only going to get harder over the next couple of years. 

Of course, the Pirates do have a boatload of young talent, but if a couple of those guys don't develop at the level they're hoping for, and they don't bring back some of the better players on this year's roster, not much is really going to change next year. 

The Pirates could go out and spend a lot of money on free agents if they plan to, but until we see them do so, I wouldn't expect it to happen.

I'd even go as far as to say the Pirates might have the best offensive free agent in baseball this winter, with Brandon Lowe set to hit the market. 

Lowe is one of the more interesting players on the market this offseason for a slew of reasons, though the biggest is how many teams will likely want him. 

He's continued to prove over the past couple of years that he can be one of baseball's better offensive players, and he did just that with the Pirates this past season. 

As for what his free agency could look like, many contending teams will be interested in the veteran's services. That could even include the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Lowe may be 32, but he just posted a career-high 4.9 fWAR, and he’s hit 30-plus home runs in consecutive seasons. The former Tampa Bay Rays mainstay is a reliable source of left-handed pop, who’s made a career of mashing right-handed pitching (135 wRC+ vs. RHP).

“After a season when the Blue Jays were so bereft of power, he will be an appealing option, but he’s struggled with injuries at times, and his defensive numbers have fluctuated wildly in recent seasons. Lowe is a safe bet to help the middle of a lineup in 2027, but his longevity as an all-around contributor could be questioned,” Nick Ashbourne wrote.

The Blue Jays were among the worst teams in Major League Baseball this season, at least in terms of level of disappointment. 

It wouldn't come as much of a surprise to see Toronto have some level of interest in bringing in a player of Lowe's caliber, as he's a guy who is going to come in and do exactly what the Blue Jays need, and he could be interested in playing for a contending-caliber team when they're at their best. 

Toronto has also shown it's willing to spend money over the past couple of years, something the Pirates need to keep in mind if the interest becomes real.