Aranda, B. Lowe earn well-deserved All-Star nods

Before Sunday’s series finale against the Twins at Target Field, manager Kevin Cash called the Rays into the clubhouse for a meeting to reveal who would be representing the team in Atlanta for next week’s All-Star Game presented by Mastercard.

Cash began by saying the team had two things to talk about, and that got the gears turning in Brandon Lowe’s mind.

“I was just like, ‘Hm, interesting. Who's the second one?’” Lowe said.

As it turned out, the announcement that came first was that Tampa Bay’s second baseman was an All-Star.

Lowe and first baseman Jonathan Aranda were named to the American League All-Star team on Sunday evening, the end of a long way back to the Midsummer Classic for Lowe and the culmination of a long-awaited breakout season for Aranda.

“I think everyone knew and expected Jonny. So hearing Jonny’s name, we were ecstatic and happy for him, and everybody was cheering,” Lowe told reporters in Minneapolis. “But I was a little surprised [about my selection]. I don't know. Wasn't expecting anything, and [am] extremely happy to be told that.”

There was some concern a few hours later, when Lowe exited the Rays’ 7-5, 10-inning win against the Twins after two innings due to soreness in his left side. That ended his hitting streak at 20 games, tied atop the franchise leaderboard with the run Yandy Díaz put together last season.

After the game, Lowe said he didn’t think the injury would keep him from participating in the All-Star Game.

“It feels very precautionary. It's a little sore, so let's just get off of it for a little bit and let it rest up,” Lowe said. “Let’s not make anything worse.”

Aranda and Lowe are both deserving All-Stars, and their candidacies were recognized by their peers. Aranda won the player vote at first base, even beating All-Star starter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. there. Lowe finished second in the player balloting to Detroit’s Gleyber Torres, who earned the start through the fan voting process.

The infielders’ achievement was appropriately celebrated in Tampa Bay’s clubhouse, too.

“Very excited. [It was an] honor for me to get to tell them. I think both of them are incredibly deserving,” Cash said. “The guys were pumped for both guys, equally loud, equally pumped up. You wanted to have representation. This team deserves to have representation.”

And there’s no arguing with the numbers Aranda and Lowe have put up this season.

Aranda leads qualified AL first basemen in average (.320), on-base percentage (.398) and OPS (.879), and he ranked second in bWAR (2.7) through Saturday, just behind Guerrero (2.8). His 149 wRC+ was the fourth-best mark among all AL hitters behind Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh and George Springer.

The Rays wished that Aranda had fared better in the initial phases of the All-Star voting process, but they were confident the 27-year-old would find a well-deserved spot on the roster. After three years of shuttling between the Majors and Triple-A Durham, never matching the incredible statistics he produced in the Minors, Aranda has been Tampa Bay’s most consistent hitter all season.

“When you watch him at the plate and you watch what he does, and then you see the work that he's put in defensively to become a very good first baseman, it’s just all those things put together,” Lowe said. “This guy deserves to be in Atlanta.”

Aranda said he wasn’t worried about the outcome of Sunday’s roster reveal, noting that he forgot Saturday night it was happening so soon, but he was thrilled to get the news from Cash.

“I feel very happy. Very happy, very proud for everything I've been through,” Aranda told reporters through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “And being named an All-Star, it's unbelievable.”

Being named an All-Star is nothing new for Lowe, who earned a spot on the 2019 team as a rookie. But getting to participate in the game will be, as Lowe was sidelined that July by a right shin bone bruise.

He has remained an offensive force since then, ranking second among AL primary second basemen since 2020 in home runs and RBIs (122 and 337, behind Marcus Semien) and wRC+ (126, behind Jose Altuve) despite battling through injuries that cut down his playing time from 2022-24.

“It's been a long journey back,” Lowe said. “Obviously, the first All-Star came back in my rookie year, so kind of the trials that I've overcome to get back to this point, it's nice to be able to say that I’m going back.”

Lowe has been healthy this season, and when he’s healthy, he hits. Through Sunday -- his 31st birthday -- he leads all qualified second basemen in slugging percentage (.487), OPS (.811), RBIs (50), total bases (154), home runs (19) and extra-base hits (30). And he’s been especially hot lately, as evidenced by his club-record-tying hitting streak.

“To have your leader represent the team, it means something,” Cash said. “I mean, there's no argument with the stats that he's put up. And hopefully he keeps that hot streak going straight into Atlanta.”

Lowe said he realized about a week ago that the roster reveal would land on his birthday, but he didn’t say anything at the time. He thought about it, though, and what a gift it would be.

“A pretty dang good birthday present,” he said.