With the winter meetings right around the corner for the Tampa Bay Rays, things should start to heat up between now and then.
So far, the Rays have made a lot of minor roster moves to help set up the team for 2026, but there is still a good amount of work to be done. Tampa Bay has numerous needs, and the team is likely not going to be increasing spending all that much in its first year with new ownership.
Due to the American League East appearing to be extremely tough on paper, Tampa Bay might elect to move a couple of veterans and not try to contend in 2026. With the recent decision to let Pete Fairbanks head to free agency by declining their team option, that could very well end up being the case.
If they do elect to go in that direction, they will have one of the most talented sluggers available on the trade market. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors recently wrote about Rays slugger Brandon Lowe being one of the best potential trade chips this winter.
Lowe Could Move the Needle
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It was an impressive year in 2025 for Lowe, who was able to stay healthy and prove that he can be one of the best power hitters at the position in baseball. In 2025, he slashed .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs and 83 RBI. The 31-year-old was named to the All-Star team, and deservingly so.
With one year left on his contract for 2026 after having his team option picked up, the Rays are going to have a very tough decision to make regarding his future with the team. If the team were to trade Lowe, there is no clear replacement on the roster that could help replace that type of offensive production at second base.
However, the team also must be thinking about the future, and the long-term plan likely doesn’t have the slugger in it. He will be 32 years old after the 2026 campaign, and it would be shocking if the team wanted to pay him after this deal.
If they were to trade him now, the return would be higher than waiting until the summer at the deadline. Lowe has proven that he can be one of the best offensive second basemen in the game, and that would be an appealing thing for contenders to pursue.
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