The Pittsburgh Pirates could lose Brandon Lowe in free agency this offseason. They acquired the second baseman in a three-team trade from the Tampa Bay Rays last offseason. Lowe delivered on all fronts and then some. He provided plenty of pop, as expected, with 35 home runs and a 121 wRC+. However, he shocked with the glove, racking up +13 defensive runs saved and +15 outs above average at the keystone, and is a Gold Glove finalist this year (though he has some stiff competition for the award).
Replacing Lowe won’t be easy. He was worth nearly +5.0 fWAR this season. However, they should check in with the Athletics and see if they can trade for infielder Zack Gelof as a potential replacement if Lowe leaves.
Zack Gelof Is a Prime Brandon Lowe Replacement Candidate
Gelof is coming off a strong 2026 rebound campaign after appearing in just 30 Major League Baseball games and spending part of the season at Triple-A. He batted .256/.322/.475 with a .346 wOBA, and 114 wRC+. The infielder hit for his fair share of power, going yard 22 times in only 435 plate appearances.
He also added value on the basepaths, going 16-for-20 on stolen base attempts. However, he had both an unimpressive 7.1% walk rate and 24.6% strikeout rate. Gelof missed about a month of the season after trying to make a sliding catch in left field at Comerica Park, which left his cleat stuck in an uncovered fence, leading to a cut under his right knee, and he is seeking legal action over it.
Gelof could help solve one of the Pirates’ biggest issues in 2026: hitting left-handed pitching. They went 18-33 against LHP starters and turned in just a 92 wRC+ vs lefties in 2026. This year, he posted an .885 OPS and a 135 wRC+ against southpaws. However, he was still very playable against right-handed hurlers, with a .764 OPS and 106 wRC+.
Gelof Brings Much-Needed Defense to Third Base
Gelof spent most of his time in the field at third base this year, where he graded out as a positive defender. He had +9 defensive runs saved, with +1 outs above average at the hot corner. However, he won’t block the eventual arrival of top Pirates prospectMurf Gray in Major League Baseball.
The position Gelof is most familiar with is second base, with over 2,000 innings at the keystone. Defensive numbers paint him as about average, with -2 DRS and +4 OAA. He also has 212 innings across all three outfield positions, 126 1/3 of which came in 2026. Like at second base, defensive metrics say he is about average in the grass, with 0 DRS and +2 OAA.
The One Red Flag That Can’t Be Ignored
Now there is one red flag worth mentioning, and that’s Gelof’s home and away splits. He did most of his damage in Sutter Health Park, with a 136 wRC+. However, his wRC+ fell to just 85 on the road. The A’s current home stadium is by far the most hitter-friendly park in baseball for right-handed batters, with a 116 park factor by Baseball Savant’s measurement. 100 is average, and no other stadium has a park factor of 110.
However, there are still things to like about Gelof. His xSLG% (expected slugging percentage) of .437 and xwOBA (expected wOBA) of .323 were not much different than Lowe’s .445 xSLG% and .331 xwOBA. Both had comparable barrel rates, with Lowe at 12.4% and Gelof at 10.8%. Lowe whiffed at a 35.4% rate, while Gelof only whiffed on 29.2% of his swings. However, Lowe chased outside the zone 33.6% of the time, while Gelof had a 25.3% chase rate.
An Affordable Trade Option
Gelof just turned 27 this week on October 19. He is entering arbitration, and MLB Trade Rumors only projects him earning $2.9 million through arbitration this offseason. The downside is that, given his age, affordability, remaining control on his contract, and recent performance, he won’t be cheap, that is, if the Athletics field offers for him.
Still, it is a potential opportunity the Pirates should have on their radar. They need to find someone who can replace the thump in the lineup Lowe may leave behind if they do not re-sign him. Gelof not only has shown power at the plate, but multi-positional versatility, and can fill second and/or third base for multiple seasons, instead of just one year.
Main Photo Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
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