With the offseason starting to heat up for the Tampa Bay Rays, they have already begun to make some moves to shape what the roster is going to look like.
Even though the Rays have hopes of being a contender in 2026, they have some critical decisions to make. Recently, they made the surprise decision not to pick up the team option on closer Pete Fairbanks, making the talented right-hander a free agent.
This decision came as a bit of a surprise, but they likely believed that they couldn’t trade him in a timely manner or get a return worth picking up the option. Now, despite many believing he was a prime trade candidate, he is instead one of the top free agent pitchers available.
While the team might not have picked up the option for Fairbanks, they did elect to do so for their All-Star slugger. However, whether or not he will be on the team for Opening Day remains to be seen.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about Rays slugger Brandon Lowe being the most likely player that they will trade this offseason.
Lowe is a Strong Trade Candidate
Dave Nelson-Imagn Images
While injuries have been a bit of an issue over the course of his career, Lowe is a special hitter at second base when healthy. In 2025, he was mostly able to stay on the field, and his offensive numbers were fantastic.
In 134 games, the All-Star slashed .256/.307/.477 with 31 home runs and 83 RBI. At the position, he was one of the best power hitters in all of baseball, and if he were made available, he would likely be highly sought after. With a salary of just over $11 million, he is also highly affordable based on his production.
If the Rays elected to trade him, they would undoubtedly be able to get a strong prospect in return that could help them long-term. However, the type of production that he brings to the plate would be impossible for the franchise to find, and that could be a big problem.
With no clear replacement for him at second base, trading Lowe this winter would be an indication that the team isn’t going to be a contender in 2026. Since they have a lot of good things in place currently, it would likely be wise to hold on to Lowe until the summer and assess where they are in the standings before making a decision to trade him.
More Tampa Bay Rays News: