Newly acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe is already making a splash in Pittsburgh, not just for his two-time All-Star resume but for his fun, easygoing take on his new home stadium at the Pittsburgh Pirates. Traded from the Tampa Bay Rays in a big three-team deal this offseason, Lowe has been talking about what excites him most, the chance to hit balls into the Allegheny River beyond the right-field wall.
In a recent interview with MLB Network Radio, Lowe joked about his pull-heavy left-handed swing and how perfectly it fits the short right-field porch and the 21-foot Roberto Clemente Wall. He expressed his excitement about the idea of a splash hit.
“Hopefully I hit at least one into the Allegheny,” the 31-year-old said.
This is not the first time he has talked about hitting a home run into the river, as he has mentioned it before. He spoke with the media on a conference call on Dec. 22 and reflected on the idea of hitting at PNC Park and seeing some of those home runs go into the River.
“The dimensions of the ballpark play into where my power alleys lie,” Lowe said. “Something about seeing a ball going flying into the river seems very, very exciting.”
When talking about the Pirates’ chances in the 2026 season, the former Rays player didn’t hold back his praise for the team.
“I feel like there's a real opportunity there for a deep push and some playoff baseball in Pittsburgh,” Lowe said. “The pitching staff is legit. The hitters, they have some extremely talented guys that play in the field, and I'm excited to kind of come and help in any way that I can.”
The Rays have sent Brandon Lowe, left-hander Mason Montgomery, and outfielder Jake Mangum to Pittsburgh. The Pirates will trade right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to the Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay will get two prospects from the Astros as part of the deal.
The trade is a bold move for the Pirates, who have been careful about taking on big contracts in recent years. Lowe, 31, is set to earn $11.5 million in 2026 and will be eligible for free agency after the World Series.
Lowe, an All-Star in 2019 and 2025, gives Pittsburgh a veteran hitter in a lineup that really needs some power to support a young pitching staff led by Cy Young winner Paul Skenes.
Last season with Tampa Bay, left-handed Lowe hit .256 with 83 RBIs. Now he heads to PNC Park, where the Clemente Wall in right field could be a tempting target for his power swing.
Beyond the laughs, Lowe brings veteran leadership to a young Pirates team led by Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. Stats back up his optimism. In the 2025 season, he hit 31 home runs, and according to Statcast, 27 of them would have cleared the fences at PNC Park since 28 were hit to right or right-center field.
