ESPN: The Yankees have identified the favorite baseman from Tampa Bay as a possible trade target.

Could Lowe be priced out of Tampa Bay by the Yankees using his contract to entice him away from the Rays?

We are just days away from the New Year and the Yankees are no closer to solving the final starter in the infield. Anthony Volpe and Paul Goldschmidt respectively have shortstop and first base locked down for 2025 and it remains to be seen whether they will keep Jazz Chisholm Jr. at third or shift him back to second. Most of the reports have tied the Yankees to outside help at the hot corner, Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado the two most notable names to arise.

They should not discount a second baseman as the last piece of the infield puzzle, though, as Chisholm proved himself more than capable at third in 2024. They were disappointed to see Gleyber Torres sign a one-year, $15 million contract with the Tigers, which may make the trade market the best option for outside assistance. One player to keep an eye on is Brandon Lowe of the Rays. 2024 Statistics: 107 games, 425 PA,.244/.311/.473, 21 HR, 58 RBI, 123 wRC+, zero Outs Above Average, 2.2 fWAR 2025 FanGraphs Depth Charts Projections: 125 games, 539 PA,.233/.315/.436, 24 HR, 66 RBI, 116 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR

Contract Status: Prior to the 2019 season, he signed a six-year, $24 million contract deal with the Rays, which included 2025 and 2026 club options. The Rays kept their $11.5 club option with a $500,000 buyout for 2026 after exercising their $10.5 million club option for 2025.

Although Lowe is well-known to Yankees supporters, he has been overlooked by the general public as one of MLB’s most underappreciated second basemen. Since making his debut in 2018, Lowe has ranked among the 76 qualifying second basemen as follows:

Naturally, Lowe’s availability has been the main problem. Lowe has never played more than 109 games in a season, with the exception of his incredible 2021 campaign, in which he recorded four-and-a-half victories in 149 games. A quad injury ended his incredible sophomore season in 2019, which saw him receive his only All-Star selection. Due to back and triceps issues, he missed all but 65 of the 2022 season. He missed a third of the 2024 season due to oblique and toe ailments, while his 2023 campaign was cut short by a shattered knee cap. He has experienced recurrent back and toe problems throughout his career, which is undoubtedly concerning for a player starting his 30th season. As a result, he has only played in 281 of 486 games over the previous three seasons.

He often hits the ball hard and at the perfect launch angles, making him one of the finest in the game when healthy. Lowe, who seldom lets a mistake pass, is most effective when pounding pitches in his hot zones, as seen by his 2021 season, in which he hit a career-high 39 home runs. His game will always include strikeouts and whiffs, but he makes up for it by damaging most of his balls in play.

When Lowe was playing in 2024, we witnessed a comeback toward the 2021 version of him, with some of his anticipated numbers even surpassing those of the prior campaign. He would more than make up for a subpar glove that only graded above league average in 2023 with his left-handed power stroke and tendency to lift the ball in the air in Yankee Stadium.