The Atlanta Braves enter the offseason with some key positions to address. While the shortstop position has been the biggest talking point so far, and for good reason, they’ll likely need a new option for the designated hitter role.
Marcell Ozuna is set to be a free agent. They kept him around after the deadline, after nothing came to fruition, but that doesn’t mean the Braves won’t consider wiping their hands clean and starting anew.
Here, I’m going to make a proposition for a trade (or maybe as a free agent) to acquire the next DH on the team: Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe. Here, at Atlanta Braves on SI, Lowe has been named as a candidate to take over his primary position if they move on from Ozzie Albies. That could still be an option in theory, but this acquisition makes sense even if Albies sticks around.
Lowe is coming off one of his better showings, proving what he’s capable of when he stays healthy. In 134 games, he batted .256 with a .785 OPS, 31 home runs and 83 RBIs. Both of the latter two stats are his best since 2021.
He could provide the Braves with some pop in the middle of the lineup that they lacked at times last season. His only downside is the decrease in his walk rate. It’s down to 6.9%, the lowest of his career. There is no counting on that being remedied, but the upside of what he provides when he gets the bat off his shoulders should make up for it.
Lowe would give the Braves another power bat in the middle of the order / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
There are two hypothetical ways he could come to Atlanta: Via trade after the Rays pick up his club option, which is the more likely scenario, and the other being as a free agent after the Rays decline it. The Rays aren’t a team that typically lets players walk, hence why the former scenario is more likely.
Even with new ownership in charge, they still have to show there is a new precedent from the current notion that no one is off limits. For now, Lowe is still a potential trade piece this offseason, and the Braves have a chance to check in on him.
His club option comes at the cost of $11 million. That’s a very easy salary to take on, and it’s a little cheaper than what they were paying for an older Ozuna, for at least the year.
His relatively affordable cost makes him an extension candidate. According to Spotrac, his market value is a three-year, $46.9 million deal, about 15.7 million per year. So, he could move up to the cost of Ozuna and could be around the same age range. If Ozuna is an indicator, it could time out where they get the most of the remainder of his prime.
While he’s been a suggested second baseman before, he is a better fit to be a DH. He looked strong in the field earlier in his career, but his defense has suffered lately. He had a -14 defensive runs saved last season at second base. They’ve tried him at other positions, but it hasn’t really a successful experiment. Take full advantage of his bat and use him in the field on occasion when someone needs a day off.
It makes more sense to get another primary DH instead of trying to platoon two catchers. You don’t have to keep a third catcher on the roster just in case you need a substitution. Remove it from the equation and have one less thing to worry about.
Ok, so if Lowe is a strong candidate to acquire in a trade, we now have to determine what it would cost to acquire him. It’s going to take prospects, but it wouldn’t be a massive splash. A couple of top-30 prospects in the system, plus another minor leaguer with upside, could get the job done. Maybe they could package Lucas Braun (No. 12) and Drew Hackenberg (No. 10) with a position player to get a deal done.
Since there is a gamble due to his injury history, the Braves might be able to get him at a more affordable rate than they would have otherwise. This is just one idea out of many that could unfold this winter. However, this one the Braves would be wise to at least consider.
