The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Brandon Lowe last offseason for his bat, and the veteran delivered on that front. The team also got an unexpected boost as Lowe put together arguably his best season in the field, too.

Lowe’s elite defense at second base earned him a nomination for a Gold Glove in the National League.

The award winners were announced Sunday night. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh’s second baseman did not take home the hardware, as Lowe lost out to Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang.

It would have been great to see a member of the Pirates earn some national recognition, but there’s no reason for Lowe to hang his head over losing to Turang.

The Brewers infielder won a Platinum Glove after the 2024 season; he’s simply one of the best defenders in all of baseball, never mind just at second base.

Lowe not winning the hardware doesn’t diminish the incredible growth and development he's shown on the right side of the infield at this point in his career.

Pittsburgh’s infielder ended up with 13 defensive runs saved for the 2026 season, which was the third-highest among the National League second basemen. For reference, Turang was at the top of that list with 23 defensive runs saved.

Just a year ago, Lowe was the third-worst in MLB with a defensive runs saved of -14. His turnaround in the field deserves more recognition.

Looking at some more of Lowe’s defensive metrics, he finished with a fielding run value of +12 (96th percentile) and 15 outs above average (98th percentile).

Lowe may have lost out on being named a Gold Glove winner, but simply being one of the finalists could come into play as the second baseman hits the open market this winter.

The 32-year-old will certainly be looking to cash in on a payday after a career-best year at the plate. He could be able to demand even more in a contract, though, by pointing to the Gold Glove credentials on his resume.

Brandon Lowe hasn’t just been in the news because of his Gold Glove nomination. As the 32-year-old heads to free agency, the Pirates must make the decision as to whether or not they want to offer him the qualifying offer.

This should be an easy yes for many reasons. However, the deadline is Friday, and Pittsburgh still hasn’t made a decision.