The Pittsburgh Pirates are pretty much out of the 2026 postseason race. The team has performed respectably throughout the season, but the play hasn’t been quite good enough. There are a lot of questions surrounding the state of baseball and the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. For a team like the Pirates, it’s unfortunate that they are trending in the right direction, but have no clue when the 2027 campaign will start. This is going to make offseason personnel decisions even more difficult for general manager Ben Cherington.
There is always the chance that Bob Nutting relieves Cherington of his duties. However, the franchise is on pace to have the most wins during the executive’s tenure. That’s not saying much, as the Pirates are crawling toward being at .500, or slightly better. One of the most brilliant decisions from Pittsburgh’s front office of late, though, was trading for Brendan Lowe.
The slugger is hitting .261 with 31 home runs and 89 RBIs. He has been a consistent force in the lineup. Unfortunately, he has been playing in a contract year. The Pirates are unlikely to be able to pay him what he is worth once the season comes to an official close.
Pirates Are Not Likely To Retain Lowe
This reality was made known by Pirates beat writer Jason Mackey. On a recent appearance on 93.7 The Fan, Mackey reported that there is virtually no chance of the infielder re-signing to play in Pittsburgh.
“I think he’s going to be one-and-done,” Mackey stated. “I do. It’s unfortunate, but he’s earned the right to go to free agency, and he’s gonna be out there peddling, what, 34 home runs, maybe, I’m projecting, 32, whatever it is.”
This is not what Pirates fans want to hear. Pittsburgh traded for Lowe with the playoffs in mind. Now, despite his fantastic play, the team is on the outside looking in. The lineup would have had a chance to make some noise late into October.
Pirates’ Lowe Is Going To Get Paid
Mackey continued to discuss what is on the horizon for Lowe. He might be a little on the older side, but his 2026 campaign proves that he can still be more than effective. This is going to lead to someone coming in and paying him top-dollar.
“He’s gonna, by the end of this thing, have a really nice resume,” Mackey said. “Still, in the prime of his career, I think somebody’s going to pay him, even if he’s probably more toward the end than the beginning of his prime, but he’s still going to get paid well.”
The Pirates hit a home run in the deal to acquire Lowe. It won’t turn into a postseason appearance, which will be unfortunate. Despite that, the second baseman is probably very thankful for the opportunity. He will now earn a large sum of money in the offseason.
When his next deal comes remains to be seen. Organizations could be cautious when spending if the belief is that a lockout could be coming. Overall, the main thing to take out of Mackey’s reporting is that Lowe will not be a member of the Pirates in 2027.
Pirates Have No Legitimate Plans To Extend Superstar: Insider