Ben Cherington’s Brandon Lowe comments already sound like Pirates are preparing an excuse

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said virtually everything fans could want to hear about Brandon Lowe, but he also said one thing that should make them nervous.

Speaking with Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com about Lowe’s impending free agency, Cherington raved about the veteran second baseman’s impact.

"It's gone remarkably well on and off the field, " Cherington said. "I mean, he's been everything we could have hoped for as a player and also in the clubhouse, and we know how his teammates feel about him. They express that, it's good."

Then came the obvious question: Will Pittsburgh actually keep him?

"It would be a great outcome if he's a Pirate next year," Cherington said. "We'll have some things to talk about and plenty of time in October to have more conversation with him about that."

So far, so good. Then this:

"We just need to learn more about what opportunities are out there for us."

There it is.

Maybe that's nothing more than a general manager refusing to negotiate publicly. But given the Pirates' history, it's difficult to hear that qualifier without wondering whether Pittsburgh is already laying the groundwork for explaining why its best hitter winds up somewhere else.

Ben Cherington's comments on Brandon Lowe free agency sound all too familiar to Pirates fans

What exactly does Pittsburgh still need to learn about Lowe?

He finished 2026 hitting .260/.331/.493 with 35 home runs, 96 RBI and 29 doubles. He led Pittsburgh in homers and RBI and finished with 4.9 fWAR, while also putting together arguably the best defensive season of his career at second base.

Lowe's teammates want him back. Manager Don Kelly has repeatedly praised the stability and leadership Lowe provides. Lowe himself has publicly left the door wide open, saying he would be "all ears" if the Pirates wanted to discuss a return.

What exactly is left to evaluate?

The answer, presumably, is price. And that's where this starts sounding familiar.

Lowe is 32 and entering free agency for the first time after producing one of the best seasons of his career. He has earned the right to test the market, and Pittsburgh shouldn't expect him to offer some enormous hometown discount after one season in the organization.

The Pirates also shouldn't be shocked when other teams want him. That's what happens when you acquire a good player, watch him hit 35 home runs and then allow him to reach free agency.

"We just need to learn more about what opportunities are out there for us" sounds harmless enough in September. But it could very easily become the first sentence of the offseason explanation. The Pirates liked Lowe. They wanted him back. They had conversations. But the market moved beyond their comfort zone. They found another way to allocate those resources. They believe they can replace the production internally or through multiple additions.

Pirates fans have been through this song and dance before, and that's why Cherington's comments sound more like a warning sign.

Pittsburgh just finished 82-80, its first winning season since 2018, but still missed the postseason. The goal this winter cannot be to rearrange the existing talent and simply hope it adds up differently in 2027. It should be to keep the players who worked and add more around them.

Lowe worked spectacularly. He gave the Pirates precisely the kind of middle-of-the-order power they spent years trying to find. He fit in the clubhouse. He improved the defense. His teammates embraced him. And unlike plenty of theoretical offseason targets, Pittsburgh already knows he can produce in PNC Park and alongside this roster.

Replacing him could also prove just as expensive as retaining him, particularly if the Pirates have to acquire multiple players just to recreate the power, defense and leadership Lowe provided by himself.

None of this means Pittsburgh should hand Lowe a blank check. There is legitimate risk in committing significant money and years to a player entering his age-33 season. But the Pirates don't get to spend an entire year talking about how badly they need legitimate offensive talent, finally find one of their best hitters in years and then act surprised when keeping him costs real money.

Cherington said Lowe returning would be "a great outcome." Now the Pirates have to decide how badly they actually want that outcome.

Because if October becomes less about negotiating with Lowe and more about searching for cheaper "opportunities," Pittsburgh's excuse for losing him may already be hiding in plain sight.

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