Pirates Make Brandon Lowe Qualifying Offer Decision

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ first big decision of the offseason came down to a contract choice centered around Brandon Lowe.

The All-Star second baseman is officially a free agent, but the Pirates have a unique opportunity that no other team has, and that’s offering him the qualifying offer.

The qualifying offer is a one-year deal worth the average of the top 125 MLB players. This year, the deal is worth $23.15 million.

Pittsburgh made its decision and officially offered Lowe the qualifying offer ahead of Monday's 5:00 EST deadline.

This offer does have an expiration date, though. Lowe has until November 17 to either accept or decline the offer.

It’s also important to note that the Pirates are still able to negotiate other long-term contracts with Lowe. Extending the qualifying offer doesn’t take that opportunity off the table.

Offering Lowe the qualifying offer was a no-brainer for the Pirates for several reasons.

Lowe was arguably Pittsburgh's best offensive player during the 2026 season, and one of the best offensive-minded second basemen in all of baseball. He finished the 2026 season with a .824 OPS, compiling 35 home runs, which was the second most in the 32-year-old’s career.

This production is exactly what the Pirates hoped they would get from Lowe when they traded for him last December. He also brought something a little more unexpected.

The second baseman also made tremendous strides with his defense, too. He’s never been known for his run prevention, but that changed in 2026. Lowe didn’t win the Gold Glove award for his position, but he was named a finalist for the award, which is impressive in its own right.

Replacing Lowe would be a tough task if the Pirates were to lose him for 2027. An argument could be made that the task is impossible altogether.

Offering Lowe the qualifying offer also gives the Pirates some consolation if he signs with another team this offseason.

According to MLB’s rules, if an organization extends the offer but does not retain the player, the team receives a compensatory draft pick in the next draft.

One extra selection wouldn’t help the Pirates make the playoffs in 2027, but it’s better than nothing.

Hopefully, the Pirates don’t have to imagine a world without Lowe in their lineup and can keep the All-Star in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future. Extending the qualifying offer is the first step toward that.