Jim Bowden’s Brandon Lowe prediction leaves Pirates with almost no excuse to let him walk

Jim Bowden of The Athletic projected that second baseman Brandon Lowe could secure a three-year, $45 million contract in free agency. Rum Bunter argues that this lower-than-anticipated forecast leaves the Pittsburgh Pirates with no excuse not to re-sign him. Spotrac previously estimated Lowe's value at a three-year, $68.4 million deal following his 35-homer season.

The writer notes that a crowded second-base market, including Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis Arraez, Gleyber Torres, and potentially Shugo Maki, could suppress Lowe's overall market value. Rum Bunter contends that if general manager Ben Cherington cannot finalize a deal near Bowden's $15 million annual projection, it would highlight Pittsburgh's unwillingness to invest in winning.