Spring Training #GrapefruitGators
After only scoring one run in 24 innings of postseason baseball in 2022, the Tampa Bay Rays entered the offseason with a need to improve their offense. Mainly, they needed more left-handed bats in their lineup to spark an offense that struggled in the Wild Card round against the Cleveland Guardians.
Despite missing out on top free agents like Cody Bellinger, Josh Bell and Brandon Belt, the Rays are hoping that two players on their roster who share the same last name will be key contributors in their lineup this upcoming season.
Although Brandon and Josh Lowe are not related and pronounce their last names differently, they will both provide what the Tampa Bay Rays desperately need: Offense from the left side of the plate
In today’s 9-5 victory against the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field, the Rays got a glimpse of the offense that Brandon and Josh Lowe could bring to Kevin Cash’s lineup this season.
The Dawg looks ready to play pic.twitter.com/ZP4eX7qaTy
— Tampa Bay Devil Rays (@RaysBaseball) March 13, 2023
After Spencer Torkelson’s RBI double in the top of the first inning, Brandon Lowe responded with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning off left-handed pitcher Tyler Holton. Brandon Lowe would also add a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning to bring his RBI total on day up to four.
— Tampa Bay Devil Rays (@RaysBaseball) March 13, 2023
This was a great sign for Brandon Lowe, who has been prone to injury since debuting for the Rays in 2018. Although he finished third in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year in 2019, Lowe had his rookie campaign shortened after fouling a ball off his shin along with an injury to his quad he suffered while rehabbing for the Durham Bulls, the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate.
In 2022, Lowe only played 65 games after being sidelined because of a stress reaction in his lower back.
The Rays know the kind of offense that the former Maryland Terrapin can provide from the left side if he remains healthy. During the 2021 season, Brandon Lowe led the team in home runs with 39 and runs scored with 97. He also hit 31 doubles and drove in 99 runs, both of which were good enough for second on the team that season.
As for Josh Lowe, the Rays are hoping that 2023 will be a breakout season for the former first-round draft pick. Lowe has elite speed and is great defensively, but he has yet to contribute significantly at the plate for the big-league club.In Monday’s game, Lowe singled in the bottom of the third inning to score Jose Siri and later scored on a 2-RBI single by shortstop Daniel Robertson.
Josh Lowe did have two strikeouts on the day, but those don’t seem to bother the Rays. The team won 100 games in 2021 despite finishing third in the MLB with 1,542 strikeouts, trailing only the Chicago Cubs (1,596) and the Miami Marlins (1,553). The numbers the Rays will be most interested in are his .308 batting average and 1.049 OPS so far this spring. Spring Training statistics don’t always translate to the regular season, but for a Rays team looking for an increase in offensive production, this is certainly a good sign.
When the Rays take the field for Opening Day on March 30 against the Detroit Tigers, Kevin Cash will have plenty of options for his lineup once players such as Wander Franco, Randy Arozarena, Harold Ramirez and Francisco Mejía return from the World Baseball Classic. Brandon Lowe will certainly be a stalemate in the middle of the Rays lineup if he stays healthy, and if Josh Lowe continues to hit the way he has so far this spring, Kevin Cash will be penciling Josh Lowe’s name in lineup on a more regular basis.
