Don’t be shocked if this Rays player is gone by the MLB trade deadline

It hasn't been the fondest of seasons for Rays long-time second baseman, Brandon Lowe, but the franchise player has already made his mark as a reliable everyday middle infielder with the potential for stardom throughtout any given season. With one year left on his contract with the Rays, will the front office decide to part ways with the best second baseman in franchise history or will they ride out his tenure to the end with the hopes of surprising people in the postseason.

Entering today, Lowe is hitting .224 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. It's not exactly the start he would've asked for, but you can't argue that he isn't producing for this club as he's currently in the top 20 in the AL in home runs and top 30 in RBIs. The strikeout numbers seem to be the recurring issue for Brandon Lowe as he's already sitting at a whopping 50 strikeouts in only 174 at-bats.

Regardless, the power-hitting infielder has been a fan-favorite for the Rays since his rookie year in 2019. His first full season in the majors was a special one. The Maryland native slashed .270/.336/.514 with 17 home runs, solidifying himself as a Ray for the foreseeable future. To top it all off, Lowe also finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Orioles starter John Means and the award winner, Yordan Alvarez.

The former third round pick's best campaign to date was in 2021 when Lowe hit .247 with 39 home runs and 99 RBIs. Those 39 blasts are still tied for second for a Rays player in a single season. Carlos Pena holds the franchise record with 46 homers in 2007. That season forced him into the conversation for one of the best second basemen in the entire league and he was even given the honor of joining the top 10 list this past offseason.

Despite all of this success, it may be smart for the Rays to part ways with their slugging second baseman. He's currently in his final contract year for Tampa Bay and he's still showing signs of production at the highest level. Therefore, the Rays could get another talented player in a trade and avoid allowing Brandon Lowe to enter free agency, where they will gain nothing from his depature. On the other hand, if the Rays are competitive down the stretch, it could be ideal to keep the left-handed bat with the hopes of taking home the first World Series trophy in franchise history.