Pirates Star Wants To Stay In Pittsburgh Ahead Of Free Agency
Lowe told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Colin Beazley that the Pirates haven't approached him about an extension, but he's open to hearing them out.
"I think this team's got a very bright future and a lot of good players, and there's a lot of good baseball that's going to be played in this park for a long time," Lowe said. "If they want to talk, I'm all ears."
A Breakout Year That Changed The Math
Lowe arrived in Pittsburgh as part of a three-team trade with Houston and Tampa Bay last December, and the move has paid off far beyond what anyone expected.
He's hit 32 home runs while posting 5.0 bWAR across 143 games, including 126 starts at second base, leading the Pirates in both homers and RBIs and helping the team set a new franchise home run record along the way.
He's also sharply improved defensively after struggling at the position in previous seasons.
Manager Don Kelly didn't hide his appreciation for what Lowe has meant to the club. "I love having Brandon Lowe," Kelly said. "(From) what he's done on the field, not just him and the homers and everything, but how he impacts those around him has been remarkable."
Brandon Lowe didn’t just say he’d be open to coming back.
— 𝐍𝐒𝟗 (@NorthShoreNine) September 19, 2026
He also spent time talking up the group around him, saying there are a lot of good players here and making it clear he believes in what this team has in that clubhouse. Then saying if the Pirates want to talk about next… pic.twitter.com/ObDfOsheYp
Lowe is playing out the final year of a six-year, $24 million contract he originally signed with Tampa Bay, a deal that ended up being a steal for both organizations.
He made just $11.5 million this season while producing numbers well beyond that value, setting up a nice raise whenever his next contract gets negotiated.
Why Pittsburgh Isn't Rushing
Lowe himself wasn't interested in negotiating during the season, telling his agent as much back in February.
"I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to pull focus from anything else," Lowe said at the time. "I'm here this year and I'm going to focus up on this one, and we'll take care of business and then see where we are at the end of the year when we get back home."
Brandon Lowe hit his 32nd HR last night. He is a pending free agent. His future is unknown.
— Colin Beazley (@colin_beazley) September 19, 2026
So I asked him about it. Here’s what Lowe said about his time in Pittsburgh, if the Pirates have discussed an extension, and if he’d be interested in a return:https://t.co/dr6KR6CZys
That means any real negotiation waits until the offseason, and the Pirates' hesitance to spend, not a lack of mutual interest, is reportedly the biggest obstacle standing in the way of a deal getting done.
If a multi-year agreement doesn't come together before free agency opens in November, Lowe is considered a strong candidate for the $23.1 million qualifying offer.
Should the Pirates issue that tag and Lowe sign elsewhere for at least $50 million, Pittsburgh would receive a draft pick after the first round of the 2027 draft as compensation.
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