Pirates Could be Caught in Middle With Brandon Lowe Due to Long-Term Deal

The talk of the offseason for the Pittsburgh Pirates will continue to center on what the organization does with star second baseman Brandon Lowe. 

In 2026, there was a strong argument that Lowe was among the best second basemen in Major League Baseball, if not the best offensively. 

His ability to change a lineup around was very obvious in Pittsburgh, something that the team has to consider this offseason. 

At the same time, because of how old Lowe is and because this is his best chance to get paid throughout much of his career, he's going to try to hit the bank. 

There's nothing wrong with that, either, as there has to be hope that Pittsburgh is the team that does that for him.

According to the latest, Lowe could return, but it would cost a lot. The bigger problem, however, is that Lowe could be seeking a long-term deal, and if teams are interested in giving him that, Pittsburgh has to decide what it wants to do.

“The addition of Lowe as part of a three-team deal last offseason turned out to be one of the best in baseball. Lowe played a career-high 150 games with 35 home runs and 96 RBIs, while also adding a veteran presence to the Pirates clubhouse and becoming a hero in the community.

"Lowe’s contract is up, and he’ll hit the open market as one of the most highly coveted position players available. Cherington described the return of Lowe as a “great outcome if he's a Pirate next year.” But it will cost a pretty penny, likely a sizable increase from the $11.5 million he earned in 2026, and Lowe, at 32 years old, could find interest in a longer-term deal,” Aiden Stepansky wrote.

I can almost understand that if Lowe were to sign a five-plus-year contract, Pittsburgh wouldn't be interested. 

At the same time, if this team is serious about winning, there's absolutely no reason not to at least be in the mix to land a player of his caliber again. Everybody in the clubhouse seems to love him, including the coaching staff. Losing a guy like that is a big problem for many reasons, so that has to be considered.