With the Rays dealing away Randy Arozarena, it’s an indication that players are on the trade block, and the Yankees need to be on the phone calling for some of their available players. While Isaac Paredes is the obvious target because they need a third baseman, his price tag might be too much for the Yankees to pursue. They need multiple pieces at the deadline for them to fix up their roster, and Brandon Lowe is the exact kind of player they need to bolster the middle of their lineup.
A power-hitting lefty who would set up one of the best quartets in baseball, the Rays could move him and his $10 million projected salary for next season (assuming his club option is picked up) and the Yankees should be all over it.
Brandon Lowe Should Sit Atop the Yankees’ Wish List
The Yankees need someone who can clean up after Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, no team in baseball has gotten less out of such a critical spot in the lineup and it’s completely ruined their run-scoring abilities. Brandon Lowe has been remarkable, posting a 145 wRC+ and .860 OPS through his first 55 games of the 2024 campaign. When you look at his profile, the power and plate discipline are extremely enticing for a team that could use an aggressive hitter who wants to crush the baseball when an opposing pitcher makes a mistake.
Brandon Lowe ranks in the 88th Percentile in SEAGER, which is a metric that grades your swing decisions based on in-zone aggression and ability to lay off pitches out of the zone. Sure, Lowe chases at a higher rate than the average hitter, but he also offers pitches over the heart of the plate at an extremely high rate which is important when you’re right behind a hitter like Aaron Judge. Teams have walked him and pitched around him to get to the Yankees’ clean-up hitter, and if you add a guy like Brandon Lowe to the lineup, you force the opponent to re-think that simple strategy.
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With Brandon Lowe’s high flyball rate and good pull rates, he does an excellent job of getting the ball in the air to right field, and that’s what allows him to be such a prolific power hitter for the second base position. The short porch will obviously play very well for someone like Lowe, and that kind of match is exactly what the Yankees should be looking for this deadline. A real concern would be how adding a left-handed hitter would work considering their struggles against lefties, but Lowe has been excellent in those matchups.
He’s posted a 169 wRC+ and .937 OPS against left-handed pitching, and his career wRC+ against them has gradually gotten better throughout his career. He still hits for power in these matchups which is important, but what would the Tampa Bay Rays ask for in return for such a great hitter?
What’s appealing about Brandon Lowe is he has two club options at $10 million a year for 2025 and 2026, making him a decently cheap option for the production. For context, Gleyber Torres made around $15 million in his final arbitration settlement, and if Lowe were to decline the Yankees could just cut him after either 2024 or 2025. On the other hand, a poor playoff track record and injury history are going to hurt his value, so what would a fair trade package look like?
- Will Warren
- Jared Serna
- Cade Smith
A three-for-one that involves two strong pitching prospects in Will Warren and Cade Smith alongside infielder Jared Serna could be fair value. The Yankees would be dealing two top 10 prospects in their system and a top 30 alongside it, and these two teams could match up very well for a big trade. If the Tampa Bay Rays want a catcher, could Agustin Ramirez become available with the way Austin Wells has emerged? Jose Trevino is under contract for 2025 as well, so maybe that’s an option they explore for someone like Isaac Paredes or a deal where Lowe comes with a Yandy Diaz.
Brock Selvidge, Will Warren, Cade Smith, Ben Shields, and Cam Schlittler are all arms I think the Rays could have some interest in as well. We’ll see how this deadline unfolds for the Bronx Bombers, but Brian Cashman will have his work cut out for him as this team is in the middle of a heated playoff race.