PITTSBURGH — Brandon Lowe was the best hitter in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup throughout the 2026 season and received recognition for it.
Lowe was named a finalist for the National League Silver Slugger Award, honoring the best hitters in baseball.
He is one of two finalists for second baseman, along with Brice Turang of the Milwaukee Brewers, as the two stars go up for the impressive honor.
Lowe was the most powerful hitter at his position, and even with Turang having a great season, he should be the one to win this Silver Slugger Award.
How Lowe Compares to Turang
|
Category |
Brandon Lowe |
Brice Turang |
|---|---|---|
|
Batting Average |
.260 |
.268 ✅ |
|
On-Base Percentage |
.331 |
.366 ✅ |
|
Slugging Percentage |
.493 ✅ |
.450 |
|
OPS |
.824 ✅ |
.816 |
|
Runs |
94 |
102 ✅ |
|
Hits |
152 |
156 ✅ |
|
Doubles |
29 |
37 ✅ |
|
Triples |
1 |
3 ✅ |
|
Home Runs |
35 ✅ |
21 |
|
RBI |
96 |
100 ✅ |
|
Walks |
62 |
90 ✅ |
|
Total Bases |
288 ✅ |
262 |
Both Lowe and Turang make a good case for the Silver Slugger Award, with the two being the best-hitting second basemen in the NL.
Turang, a World Series winner with the Brewers, had a better batting average and on-base percentage, while also amassing more runs, hits, doubles, triples, RBI and walks than Lowe.
Lowe was the far more powerful hitter, with the better slugging percentage and OPS and more home runs and total bases.
While Turang has the advantage in more categories, Lowe was the better hitter for a few reasons.
It’s quite impressive the season that Lowe had, with his 35 home runs being 14 more than Turang and eight more than the next hitter in MLB, Kody Clemens of the Minnesota Twins.
Lowe was also fairly close in most of the categories, with only eight fewer runs and doubles, four fewer hits and two fewer triples.
Walks were the only area where Turang had a sizable advantage, 28 more than Lowe, which led to a better OBP, too.
Lowe deserves credit for that kind of power, which he’s shown throughout his career, a .483 slugging percentage that ranks fourth all-time amongst second basemen with at least 3,500 plate appearances, per Just Baseball.
The rare power he possesses was huge for the Pirates in 2026, and while Turang was a great hitter, it’s clear who the deserving winner of this award is this season.
Brandon Lowe Puts On Incredible Season for Pirates
The Pirates searched for a left-handed power bat that could excel at PNC Park and help turn the franchise from perennial losers into winners, which is what they got from Lowe.
Lowe joined the Pirates in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays last offseason, which also included left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery and Jake Mangum, the best transaction made under general manager Ben Cherington’s tenure.
His 35 home runs were the most for a Pirate since Josh Bell hit 37 in 2019 and the most for any Pirate in their first season with the team since Brian Giles hit 39 in 1998.
Lowe hit 20 home runs at home, breaking the PNC Park record that Giles set in the first year of the ballpark at 18 in 2001.
His power played a big role in the Pirates setting the team record for most home runs at home and in a season overall.
He had some great moments for the Pirates, including his walk-off solo home run off the right-field foul pole in the 4-3 comeback victory over the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 19 at PNC Park.
Lowe also hit the walk-off single in the 3-2 win in extra innings over the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 27 and the go-ahead two-run home run in the 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 19, both at PNC Park.
He is a free agent this offseason, and the Pirates will try to re-sign him, already extending him the qualifying offer, but other MLB teams will surely be trying to secure his services as well.
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