Pirates GM Ben Cherington Comments on Brandon Lowe's 2026 Impact, Free Agency

Brandon Lowe gave the Pittsburgh Pirates exactly what they hoped for when they acquired him. Now, the second baseman has given the team a decision to make.

Lowe put together one of the best offensive seasons of his career in 2026, batting .260 with 35 home runs, 96 RBIs, 94 runs scored and an .824 OPS across 150 games. His 35 home runs led the Pirates.

Lowe is now headed for free agency, and Pirates general manager Ben Cherington made it clear that Pittsburgh would like to find a way to keep him.

"It's gone remarkably well on and off the field," Cherington said to Aiden Stepansky . "I mean, he's been everything we could have hoped for as a player and also in the clubhouse, and we know how his teammates feel about him. They express that, it's good."

Lowe has left the door open to returning to Pittsburgh while also preparing to test his value on the free-agent market, according to Dominic Campbell of Pittsburgh Pirates on SI .

"It's been incredible," Lowe said. "I've loved my time here. Thank everybody from the staff to players to the fans that are coming out and watching. They made this home. They feel like home. They supported us like we've been here for a long time."

Lowe added that he has enjoyed his time with the Pirates and would be grateful for his experience in Pittsburgh regardless of what happens this offseason.

"If this is it, we're deeply grateful for everybody in this organization," Lowe said. "Who knows, there's always an opportunity I get to deal with you guys' questions next year. It's not the greatest of answers, but it's a bridge we'll cross when we get there. We'll see what happens."

Cherington similarly left the door open, saying the Pirates will have more conversations with Lowe in October while evaluating their options for the offseason.

"We'll have some things to talk about and plenty of time in October to have more conversation with him about that," Cherington said. "We just need to learn more about what opportunities are out there for us, and he's put himself in a strong position too."

The 32-year-old also made an impact beyond the batter's box, earning praise from Cherington and his teammates for his presence in the clubhouse.

"Would be a great outcome if he's a Pirate and think the world of him and the job he's done," Cherington said.