The Tampa Bay Rays are in a bit of a holding pattern as they have been for the last couple of years. The Rays have missed the playoffs for consecutive seasons after making the postseason for five straight years.
However, there’s been numerous points throughout each of the last two seasons where they made a push to be in playoff contention.
With that being said, one of their most stable players is second baseman Brandon Lowe, but he’s entering the final year of his contract with the Rays. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden believes Lowe could be on the move this offseason.
Brandon Lowe linked to AL powerhouses
Bowden came out with his top 10 trade candidates for this offseason on Thursday morning, and Lowe was No. 8 on the list.
Lowe will be entering his ninth year in the MLB and has played every season for the Rays. However, he has a team option for 2026, which the Rays are expected to pick up, and then he’ll be a free agent in the following year.
With that being said, the Rays could look to trade the 31-year-old this offseason and get something in return.
Top 10 players likely to be traded this offseason according to Jim Bowden
1) Tarik Skubal
2) Freddy Peralta
3) Hunter Greene
4) Jarren Duran
5) Mackenzie Gore
6) Sandy Alcantara
7) Sonny Gray
8) Brandon Lowe
9) Alec Bohm
10) Jo Adell pic.twitter.com/3ac1BlII1B— AT (@YankeeWRLD) October 23, 2025
Lowe is hitting .247 across his eight-year career with an .807 OPS across 745 games, and he’s hit 157 home runs and is a two-time All-Star.
“The 31-year-old will be a free agent after next season and if they’re ever going to trade him, the time is now,” Bowden wrote. “He’s coming off his healthiest year since 2021, playing in 134 games while putting up a SLG of .477.
“His 31 homers were tied with Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Yankees for the most by a second baseman, three more than Ketel Marte of the Diamondbacks and six more than Jose Altuve of the Astros.”
Brandon Lowe CRUSHED this pitch 😤 pic.twitter.com/FYnvxplxuJ
— MLB (@MLB) June 17, 2025
If the Rays do decide to trade Lowe this offseason Bowden identified the New York Yankees and Houston Astros as two fits for the second baseman.
Lowe brings a powerful left-handed bat to the lineup, one that the Yankees and Astros are looking for, and the short porch in Yankee Stadium is perfect for his swing.
The Rays’ second baseman can also play the outfield and first base, which brings versatility to either the Astros or Yankees.
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