When is Brandon Lowe Coming Back? Fantasy Baseball Injury Return Update

Brandon Lowe cemented himself as an excellent option for fantasy baseball managers at the second base position from the day he first stepped onto a big league field. At age 23, Lowe hit .233 with six homers, two steals, a 10.8% BB%, and a .774 OPS in his 43-game debut. That production was 14% above the league average, as per his 114 wRC+.

He absolutely raked in the COVID-shortened 2020 season with a .269 average alongside 14 home runs and a .916 OPS in just 56 games. His production hasn't reached that level since, but fantasy managers should have been satisfied with his 21 home runs, seven stolen bases, and .771 OPS across 109 games last season.

Unfortunately, Lowe's oblique injury suffered just eight games into the 2024 season is another injury among a lengthy history in the big leagues. He has played more than 109 games in a season just once (149, 2021) and played just 174 of a possible 324 games (53.7%) from 2022-23. Let's have a look at what his current status looks like.

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Brandon Lowe Injury Update for Fantasy Baseball

As part of a column that mostly details closer Pete Fairbanks dealing with a nerve issue, Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Topkin touches on Lowe's status. He writes that Rays manager Kevin Cash said Lowe has begun swinging a bat and taking ground balls.

Rays’ Pete Fairbanks heads to injured list with ‘nerve-related’ issue https://t.co/bRn4MdbJzl

— Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) April 22, 2024

That is certainly positive news. As is always the case with oblique injuries, this one is taking some time to heal and the Rays have proceeded with caution with their prized second baseman. It's a good sign the 29-year-old has not experienced a setback to this point. He is likely headed for a rehab assignment sooner rather than later.

Brandon Lowe Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Lowe struggled out of the gate this season, hitting just .185 with one homer and a diminished 6.7% BB% across an eight-game sample size. However, there's enough of a track record here to provide fantasy managers with little to panic about.

Since he entered the league in 2018, his .239 isolated power is easily the best mark in baseball among the 30 second basemen with at least 1,000 plate appearances in that time. Yes, better than Marcus Semien, Jose Altuve, Ozzie Albies, etc. His biggest issue has simply been staying healthy.

Brandon Lowe #ExtraSwings pic.twitter.com/FvFRL4QbWq

— John Peabody (@PeabodyHitDev) April 17, 2024

Fantasy managers would be wise to keep an eye on his status over the next few days. Given that he is swinging a bat and taking ground balls, an update on a rehab assignment usually follows fairly quickly. He needs to be plugged right back into fantasy lineups upon his return as he is likely to bounce back from a slow start in short order given his track record.

Expect power, patience, and a little bit of speed from Lowe when he returns as one of the top second basemen in fantasy baseball.

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