Brandon Lowe breakout is even better than Pirates fans realize

When the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Brandon Lowe, they knew they were getting a floor raiser. Lowe was a 30-homer bat from the left side brought in to help revive a decaying offense. But he wasn't without his flaws. Lowe had been a typical three-true-outcome hitter for most of his career.

His strikeout had always been elevated, but over the past two seasons, his walk rate had declined to a below-average 7.3%. His defense had become problematic as well. This isn't to say it was a bad move for Pittsburgh because even in his 2024-2025 form, he was an upgrade. Now, though, he might be Ben Cherington's best trade at the helm of the Pirates.

The Pirates have gotten off to a strong start, and Lowe is one of the primary reasons why. Through 93 plate appearances, Lowe has walked at a 12.9% clip, which, if it holds up, would be a career best. He's hitting .263, which is his best mark since 2020. His strikeouts are also down to a career low 22.6%. Add in his trademark power, and he's really been something.

The best part of Brandon Lowe's game is the last thing the Pirates expected

For most of his career, Lowe had been an average at best defender. Last season, he bottomed out and posted a miserable -14 outs above average. Now, with his 32nd birthday coming on July 6, it seemed as if last year's performance would be his new normal in the field.

Having Lowe as a butcher was less-than-ideal, and the issue would be highlighted even more given the extent to which the Pirates traded off defense for offense with their offseason moves. Should Lowe's glove collapse further, Pittsburgh might perform better offensively, but not move up the standings, as the culmination of the defensive woes became too much to overcome.

However, Lowe hasn't just rebounded to his prior form as a merely below-average defender. Instead, he's flashed the leather and been legitimately good at the keystone, posting two outs above average so far.

It's early, but if Lowe keeps all of that up, he'll exceed the Pirates' wildest expectations. If his offensive game is more well-rounded and his play in the field is actually good, we're talking about a star-level player when you factor in his power. Then you add in his veteran leadership, and you have an incredibly valuable piece.

There are some threats to this early success, of course. The samples are getting bigger. Lowe's sore knee could derail his defense, too, especially if the injury lingers. But the Pirates have to be ecstatic with what they've gotten out of Lowe so far — and the longer it lasts, the better their chances are of making serious noise in the NL Central.

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