Brandon Lowe seen as Pirates' top award candidate this season

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes is in contention for the National League Cy Young Award for a second consecutive year. However, the Pirates' best chance at an individual accolade this season may lie with second baseman Brandon Lowe, who is a candidate for the National League Silver Slugger Award. The Pirates recently ranked eighth in The Athletic's MLB Power Rankings, sitting in second place in the NL Central, 5.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, while holding a tie for first place in the NL Wild Card standings. Lowe leads all qualified NL second basemen in homers and slugging percentage, with projections suggesting a career-high 40 home runs this season. The Pirates have not had a Silver Slugger winner since 2015, and a successful campaign could end both their awards and playoff drought.

• 1:33 PMYahoo Sports — Paul Skenes Isn't Pirates' Best Award Candidate