Rays All-Star Second Baseman Positioned as Likely Trade Candidate

Change could be coming for the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason.

Back-to-back disappointing seasons after five straight years of postseason baseball could lead the front office to focus on a rebuild. If that is the direction the Rays decide to go, a fan favorite and longtime second baseman could be at the forefront of trades.

Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller believes that second baseman Brandon Lowe could be a likely trade candidate in the offseason.

“Quite simply, it’s what the Rays do,” Miller wrote. “They sign players to escalating contracts, milk the early years of said contract for all they’re worth and then pass the buck to someone else willing to pay for the latter years in which the ROI potential is nowhere near as high.”

We’ve seen this in the past with Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Isaac Paredes and more. It’s rare for players to spend a majority of their careers with Tampa Bay due to the organizations willingness to move players each and every season.

Lowe was drafted by the Rays back in 2015 and has spent all eight seasons of his career with the team. He’s a two-time All-Star and has finished top 10 in MVP voting twice in his career.

Throw the COVID-shortened 2020 season to the side and this year has been among the best of Lowe’s career. He entered Monday with a slash line of .272/.318/.492 with 13 doubles, 24 home runs and 61 RBI.

Lowe has a $11.5 million club option for next season, and it is unclear if Tampa Bay will be willing to pick up that option.

Picking up the option and still trading Lowe is certainly a route the Rays could choose. If they did, there should be plenty of suitors for the eight-year veteran.

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