The Orioles have a second base problem. A former University of Maryland standout might be just the guy to solve it.
For the next two weeks, Camden Chat writers will be profiling a dozen players, either free agents or trade targets, that we’d like to see the O’s pursue this offseason. First up is an infield slugger with a local connection, free agent Brandon Lowe.
To be clear, I’m not interested in Lowe solely because #HeATerp. I mean, it sure doesn’t hurt. But as a player, he checks a lot of boxes
for the Birds. The two-time All-Star would bring some much-needed left-handed thump to the Orioles’ lineup. He’s a veteran of the AL East who has (mostly) crushed the Orioles’ division rivals. And he’d stabilize a position at which the Orioles were the worst in the league in 2026.
Lowe (pronounced “Lau”) should be a familiar name for O’s fans. Those in the local area might have become aware of him during his College Park career in 2014-15, when he starred for a Maryland team that included five future big leaguers. Lowe also played one summer in the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League as a 19-year-old.
Even if you didn’t follow Lowe’s collegiate career, you surely know him from his near-decade as an O’s divisional opponent. After the Rays drafted him in the third round in 2015, he spent the first eight years of his MLB career with Tampa Bay from 2018-25 before a trade last offseason sent him to Pittsburgh. Aside from an abbreviated 2022 campaign, Lowe has been a well above-average hitter for every major league season, posting a career 123 OPS+ and averaging 4.2 bWAR per year. He’s had five seasons of 21+ homers and three seasons of 30 or more. Simply put, he’s one of the best hitting second basemen in the game.
As a Ray, Lowe stepped up his game against division foes. He feasted on Orioles pitching (.857 OPS, 20 homers) and particularly torched the Red Sox (.994 OPS, 21 HRs) and Blue Jays (.918 OPS, 21 HRs) in more than 70 games against each opponent. He was less successful, though, against the Yankees, who held him to a .659 OPS.
Lowe is coming off of his most productive year yet. In his debut season with the Pirates, he tallied 35 homers and 96 RBIs — both his highest totals since 2021 — and posted a career-best 5.3 bWAR. And it’s not just his offense that impressed. With the leather, Lowe pulled off an incredible turnaround after several years of subpar defensive marks. He registered 13 Defensive Runs Saved and 15 Outs Above Average this season after struggling to a -14 DRS and -14 OAA the season before.
Could those numbers, especially on defense, have been a one-year mirage? It’s possible. At 32 years old, it’s unlikely that Lowe just suddenly figured out how to be an elite defender for the first time, so perhaps there’s some sample-size issues at play. Still, even if he can be merely a league-average fielder to go with his potent bat, he’d be a significant upgrade over the Orioles’ current second base options.
Which brings us to the uncomfortable reality we must discuss. I want Jackson Holliday to be good. You want Jackson Holliday to be good. But three years into his career, he simply hasn’t been good. And the Orioles’ lineup suffered for it in 2026. According to FanGraphs, Orioles second basemen — mostly Holliday, but also Jeremiah Jackson — rated as the worst in the American League, and third-worst in baseball, at just a 0.1 WAR (Lowe’s Pirates ranked fourth, at 4.9). The Birds’ second basemen had the worst OBP (.275) and sixth-worst SLG (.349) in the majors. Lowe had a .331 OBP and .493 OPS.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s way too early to throw in the towel on Holliday’s career. He’s 22 years old, an age when many players who turned out to be stars hadn’t even made their MLB debut yet. He’s the former #1 overall draft pick, was once the #1 prospect in baseball, and is the son of a seven-time All-Star. Holliday could well figure things out and be a standout major leaguer for many years to come.
But if the Orioles are serious about trying to be a contender next year, they can’t sit around and wait for Holliday to live up to his potential. The O’s have a real opportunity here to add an established, quality major league player at a position of need, and they should pounce on it. If they add Lowe, they have choices about what to do with Holliday. Maybe they send him back to the minors to try to get him on track. Maybe they move him to a different position. Maybe they even trade him, as recent reports have suggested. Add Lowe first and figure out Holliday later.
Because Lowe is on the wrong side of 30, his contract demands shouldn’t be too exorbitant. ESPN predicts he’ll get a four-year, $80 million deal. MLB Trade Rumors forecasts a more modest contract at three years and $69 million. That looks like a nice deal to me, and the Orioles shouldn’t hesitate to sign him if that’s the salary range that Lowe ends up in.
Lowe, of course, brings his share of risk, as does any free agent. For one thing, he hasn’t exactly been the picture of durability. He played a career-high 150 games this season, but it was one of only three times that he’s topped 109. Lowe has a laundry list of ailments that have plagued him throughout his career, including injuries to his knees, feet, back, elbow, neck, oblique, quadriceps, and…well, basically everything. The O’s would probably have to live with the fact that Lowe will miss some games, but they’ve got depth to replace him with Blaze Alexander available as a utility guy and potentially Jordan Westburg seeing some time at second.
Also, Lowe received a qualifying offer from the Pirates, meaning the Orioles would lose a draft pick if they sign him. Still, sometimes that’s the price you have to pay to land a quality free agent. And the O’s potentially will be receiving a compensatory draft pick of their own if another team signs Trevor Rogers, so it could balance out.
The Orioles’ oft-disappointing 2026 offense could use an upgrade, and Lowe seems like just the guy they need. He has the talent. He brings the experience. And he — and I cannot stress this enough — a Terp.
