Guardians Connected to Trade for Tempting Power Hitter

Could the Cleveland Guardians swing this major trade with the Tampa Bay Rays?

Sep 18, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) bats in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

It would strongly behoove the Cleveland Guardians to add a bat or two this offseason, and particularly ones with some pop.

Outside of Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, the Guardians didn't have a whole lot of power in their lineup in 2024, so adding someone with legitimate home-run power should be a priority.

That's why James Mastrucci of Away Back Gone is urging Cleveland to try and swing a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire infielder Brandon Lowe.

"Lowe also has positional flexibility, having appeared at second, first, and the outfield during his career (Lowe did not play outfield for Tampa Bay in 2024 but did in previous seasons)," Mastrucci wrote. "If the Guardians were to acquire Lowe, they could similarly use him to how Daniel Schneemann was used in 2024, but with a significantly higher offensive upside."

While Lowe is primarily a second baseman, he has the ability to play multiple positions, so he could forge somewhat of a super-utility role with the Guardians in 2025.

The 30-year-old slashed .244/.311/.473 with 21 home runs and 58 RBI over 425 plate appearances this past season.

Lowe broke into the big leagues with the Rays in 2018, and by his second season, he was an All-Star. However, his best year came in 2021, when he slashed .247/.340/.523 with 39 long balls and 99 RBI across 615 trips to the dish.

The catch with Lowe is that he has a rather checkered injury history and will be a free agent after next season, but in the case of the latter, Cleveland may not mind as it would have no financial obligation to him beyond 2025.