The Tampa Bay Rays are allergic to costs, apparently.
They didn't pick up closer Pete Fairbanks' option for the season ahead. And although they did exercise Brandon Lowe's $11.5 million contract option, he might not stick around long.
ESPN's Jeff Passan revealed in a Tuesday article that Lowe could be a trade candidate this offseason.
"The Rays will listen on offers for Brandon Lowe," Passan writes. "Even under new ownership, their payroll remains destitute."
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Lowe would be a solid pickup for another team, but a bummer of a loss if Tampa Bay does indeed get rid of him.
In the last three seasons, Lowe has put up OPS totals of.771,.783 and.785.
He'll play the upcoming year as his age-31 season, so maybe a decline is coming eventually, but not necessarily right now.
The lefty swinger belted 31 home runs in 2025 in 134 games, the second-best total of his career. He drove in 83 RBI and added 19 doubles while batting.256, his best average since 2020.
The Rays have found ways to compete most seasons in the AL East even with all the money flowing elsewhere in the division.
But trading away Lowe would be a step in the wrong direction when all three of the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays will be upgrading this offseason after each making the playoffs in 2025.
What the Rays end up doing with Lowe will be revelatory about how they view the season ahead.
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