Brandon Lowe might already be Pirates' best trade acquisition under Ben Cherington

After a 2025 season which saw the Pittsburgh Pirates lose 91 games and finish with the league's worst offense, the team was determined to enter the 2026 campaign with a far better run-producing unit.

So far, that has certainly been the case. The Pirates have been a top-10 offense in terms of runs scored as the team became one of the first clubs to reach the 10-win threshold. While there have been multiple catalysts to the team's suddenly high-powered offense, one brand new Pirate has stood out.

The first move the Pirates made this past offseason that indicated that the team was really trying to win in 2026 was the three-team trade that sent right-hander Mike Burrows to Houston and saw Tampa Bay trade second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum, and left-hander reliever Mason Montgomery to Pittsburgh. The deal was universally considered a heist by the Pirates, who turned a pitcher who might have been their fifth or sixth-best starter into a slugging second baseman, a more-than-capable fourth outfielder, and a potentially dominant relief arm.

Lowe, who hit 31 home runs last season, has gotten off to a better start than anyone could have realistically anticipated. He's among the MLB leaders in home runs (7), RBI (16), and OPS (.992) and has settled in as the Pirates' regular No. 2 hitter, slotting in between the team's two biggest carryover bats, Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds (both of whom are also off to strong starts).

Brandon Lowe has made a massive impact to begin his Pirates career

It's early, but Lowe is shaping up to be the best — and most impactful — player Ben Cherington has traded for as Pirates general manager. He's spent most of his tenure as GM in sell mode, and thus, hasn't had many opportunities to trade for established major league talent.

Cherington has made pitcher-for-hitter swaps for young bats like Jhostynxon Garcia, Nick Yorke, and Spencer Horwitz, each of whom could become valuable long-term assets. But none of those players have had an impact at the major league level to the extent Lowe has so far.

To this point, Cherington's best trade acquisition has been David Bednar, who initially seemed like an inconsequential inclusion in the deal that sent Joe Musgrove to San Diego in January 2021. Bednar, who had just 17 MLB games under his belt at the time, pitched in parts of five seasons with the Bucs, posting a 3.01 ERA, saving 101 games, and earning a pair of NL All-Star nods. Though he established himself as a legitimate asset, an All-Star closer is only worth so much on a team that isn't competitive, as was the case every year Bednar was a Pirate.

Lowe isn't acting alone in turning things around in Pittsburgh — free agents Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna have been meaningful additions (albeit to different extents), and teenage superstar Konnor Griffin has provided a spark Pirates fans haven't seen in quite a long time. But Lowe's power and professionalism have stood out, and if the Pirates make a return to the postseason in 2026, he'll be one of the main reasons why.

Lowe is in the final year of his contract, so unless he re-signs or accepts a qualifying offer, he may wind up as a one-year wonder in Pittsburgh. But in such a short time, he's proven why Cherington and the Pirates were right to pursue him so aggressively this past winter. Even if this is his only season as a Pirate, if he keeps this up, his acquisition could be the one that salvages Cherington's tenure.

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