Is Rays’ Brandon Lowe on another hot streak, or is this who he is now?

TAMPA — There have been a lot of reasons suggested for why Brandon Lowe has had a sustained stretch of success at the plate, one that — not coincidentally —lines up with the Rays’ month-plus run as the majors’ best team.

Lowe offered a magnanimous answer, suggesting it’s a product of the hitters around him — with Josh Lowe often batting leadoff, followed by some combination of Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero — putting him in a better spot to be productive.

Related, manager Kevin Cash pointed out, has the been the production from the bottom of the order, giving Brandon Lowe increased opportunity to knock in runs.

There’s some benefit from Lowe’s change in bats after a slow start — ditching the 33 ½-inch, 30-ounce Louisville Slugger model he adopted in spring training to return to his old reliable Old Hickory brand — though not too much, as he notes it still has to be swung properly.

And good health is obviously a factor, as Lowe has been able to start 68 and play in 73 of the Rays’ first 78 games.

The result, heading into Tuesday’s game in Kansas City, has been solid overall: a .264 average, 15 homers, 42 RBIs and a .774 OPS.

In previous seasons, Lowe would go on a week-or-so long binge when he carried the team but then (for an assortment of reasons) drop off, sometimes dramatically, for a similar stretch.

Brandon Lowe celebrates after hitting a homer against the Texas Rangers June 4 in Tampa. It is one of 15 he has hit so far this season. [ LUIS SANTANA | Times ]

But this season, he got hot in mid-May and kept on going.

So, with Lowe on his second double-digit hitting streak of the last six weeks; delivering three game-tying homers and 15 tying or go-ahead RBIs; and posting a .336 average, 10 homers, 24 RBIs and a .989 OPS over his last 37 games; Josh Lowe offered a different explanation.

“We talk about this a lot in terms of, when he’s hot I don’t know many guys that are hotter than him,” Josh Lowe said. “But to see him over an extended period of time right now, you kind of start to question, is it really a hot streak, or is it just who he is?

“That’s my thought. I think it’s just who he is. It’s all just clicking for him at the same time. And when he’s going the way he is, it’s unstoppable. So, it’s been really fun to watch.”

The Rays have seen enough since Brandon Lowe — now approaching age 31 and the longest-tenured player on the team — was first called up in 2018 to know valuable he can be.

“I’ve always said that B-Lowe is the best hitter in this lineup, the best hitter that we have,” Diaz said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “You guys have seen the results, and hopefully it’ll continue like that.”

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Explore all your optionsBrandon Lowe (8) celebrates with outfielder Josh Lowe after hitting a two-run home run against the Blue Jays in May in Tampa. “When he’s going the way he is,” Josh Lowe said, “it’s unstoppable.” [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

The 2021 season, when he played a career-high 149 games, was the best example. Lowe — all (barely) 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds of him — hit 39 home runs, drove in 99 runs and posted a .247 average and .863 OPS.

That was after he played in 56 of the 60 games during the abbreviated 2020 pandemic season, hitting .269 with 14 homers, 37 RBIs and a .916 OPS. (At the same pace over a standard 162-game season, he would have had 38 homers and 100 RBIs.)

But availability has been a big issue, as Lowe missed considerable time in each of the past three seasons, playing in 65, 109 and 107 games.

That’s where the staying healthy part factors into this season’s success.

Lowe has worked hard at preventing the back and other issues that have slowed and sidelined him in the past, spending an hour in the training room and another in the weight room before he even touches a bat or ball.

“It’s just stuff that I need to do now,” he said. “I like to make fun that I’m one of the crank engines at this time, not the push-button start. Like an old diesel engine, I’ve got to idle for 15-20 minutes before I get going.”

Add that to the considerable prep work he puts in on the mental side: watching video, studying scouting reports, tapping into his memory bank about pitchers and situations to be as ready as he can.

“He knows himself as well as any player that I’ve been around,” Cash said. “What makes him go, what makes him stay on the field, what he needs to do, the way his swing works, all of those things.

“But I think health is playing a big role in the success that he’s having. You look at the last couple seasons when he’s on the field, able to play, he produces at a very, very — at an elite, All-Star level. So, just want to kind of keep him that way, because he means so much to our team.”

There also is the matter of pride.

For the second straight year, Lowe is playing to have an option picked up, with his $11.5 million salary for 2026 at this point looking like a bargain. Though it has been accompanied by the usual trade speculation, amid his desire to stay a Ray.

Brandon Lowe in previous seasons would go on a week-or-so long binge when he carried the Rays but then would drop off, sometimes dramatically. Not this season. He got hot in mid-May and kept right on going. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Further driving Lowe this season is the chance to make the American League All-Star team. He isn’t going to be elected a starter by the fans (ranking a distant fourth in the latest voting), but with the most homers, RBIs and slugging percentage of AL second basemen he has a shot to either be voted a reserve by the players or appointed by MLB, which fills out the roster, makes sure all teams are represented and names replacements for injured players.

(First baseman Jonathan Aranda, third baseman Junior Caminero and starter Drew Rasmussen would seem the other most likely Rays candidates.)

Lowe made it to the 2019 All-Star Game but couldn’t play. He was added as an injury replacement but was sidelined himself, with a severely bruised shin from a foul ball.

“It’d be an incredible honor to be one of hopefully multiple All-Stars that are on this team,” he said. “It would be fantastic. … It would be extremely cool to be one of the guys that gets to go there and to actually be able to play this time around.”

He’d definitely like to take a swing at it.

Tonight

at Royals, 7:40 TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM

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