The Tampa Bay Rays are engaged in trade negotiations with the Arizona Diamondbacks regarding Ketel Marte. The Diamondbacks will certainly demand a hefty return. What if the Rays manage to retain incumbent Brandon Lowe in a hypothetical trade package?
The Snakes are on the prowl for starting pitching (which the Rays can provide), but it raises the question about how to manage both Lowe and Marte on the same roster. Can Lowe play in the outfield to make room for the new shiny toy?
Could the Rays Move Brandon Lowe to the Outfield?
Lowe is Not a Great Defender
First things first, Lowe is not a wizard with the glove. This past season, Lowe posted awful marks in Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved. His Statcast -13 OAA officially designated him as the league’s worst second baseman this year. To make matters worse, he posted a -14 DRS, which qualified him as the third-worst defender at that position.
“The Diamondbacks and Rays discussed a deal that would involve both right-handers Shane Baz and Ryan Pepiot (for Marte), though no agreement is said to be close.”https://t.co/2OgR9iBKaW
— Brandon Wile (@Brandon_N_Wile) December 11, 2025
His throwing arm is somewhat decent, but his otherwise poor defensive skills figure to get worse as he enters his late 30s. Lowe played one game in right field in 2022 and 15 games in the outfield during the 2021 season. The native of Virginia isn’t the greatest athletic specimen, but he is a “team-first” guy who should understand if the Rays acquire the services of Marte.
Can Lowe Wing It in the Outfield?
The recent chatter surrounding Marte assumes that the Rays will be comfortable slotting him into his second base position. What happens to the incumbent Lowe in that circumstance? Of course, his name continues to percolate in trade conversations. Having said that, maybe Lowe moving to the outfield on a part-time basis could add some much-needed home run pop to the outfield and boost their offensive production. A healthy Lowe can hit 30+ home runs, as he did in 2021.
Even though teams covet defensive versatility, there’s still an importance in putting players in a position to succeed. The Houston Astros tried Jose Altuve in left field this past season, and the results weren’t pretty. In 371 innings in left field, Altuve posted a -10 DRS while doing his best to work around the roster machinations. The ill-fated experiment demonstrates that changing defensive positions is one of the hardest things to do in baseball. This is why players who have that skillset are so unique in today’s game.
The Rays Could Make it Work
Brandon Lowe playing outfield can be viewed as a luxury and not a necessity for the Rays. This is because even though the Rays have plenty of warm bodies to cover the outfield, they don’t have anyone running away with a job. If the outfield contains Cedric Mullins or Jake Fraley on any given day, then having Lowe in left field is at least tolerable. He doesn’t need to make all the highlight plays in order to be successful.
Lowe is a pending free agent, and Marte will be here for the next five years. The Rays will rightfully do everything possible to accommodate one of the game’s brightest young stars. It feels like the Rays have exhausted their outfield shopping and need to start making tough decisions. Between the acquisitions of Mullins and Fraley, the Rays have too many players competing for a few spots.
Losing Lowe would be a tough pill to swallow. He provides a lot of production that will need to be replaced. The overarching goal should be to keep Lowe on this roster. At the end of the day, maybe the answer to the Rays’ long-running outfield problems can be found by simply looking under the covers.
Main Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
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