After a decade with the Tampa Bay Rays organization, All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe is enjoying his first spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates so far.
Lowe was traded to the Pirates in December along with Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery. While he already knew a few players on his new team, having a couple of teammates join him in the trade has made his transition smoother.
“It’s going well. You never know what to expect when you get to a new spot, but thankfully we had some relationships with some players already and then getting traded over with a couple of guys makes the transition a little bit easier,” Lowe told MLB.com earlier this week. “The group here has been awesome, making it really easy for me.”
After seeing the talent Pittsburgh has assembled, Lowe’s excited about the team’s offseason moves and is looking forward to the upcoming season.
“I think the biggest thing that they did is that they realized what they had here,” Lowe said. “The starting pitching staff, the reliever corps, and even some of the position player core…Going out and getting the free agents…You add those little injections into the lineup and it makes it a whole lot easier…to go out there and perform.”
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The Pirates are counting on Lowe to provide a big offensive upgrade at second base. The two-time All-Star swatted 31 home runs last season and has mashed at least 21 homers in four of the last five years.
The 31-year-old slugger is also playing for his next contract, so he’ll be extra motivated to perform this year. If the season goes well and he enjoys his time in Pittsburgh, perhaps he’ll consider sticking around.
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