Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe is drawing some early trade interest. Sean McAdam of MassLive relayed on the Fenway Rundown podcast (link to full pod and to Lowe clip) that at least one club has contacted the Nats to gauge Lowe’s availability. McAdam adds that he wasn’t able to confirm which club put in the call, though he suggests it was very likely the Red Sox, on account of their obvious need at the position.
Lowe, 29, is a logical trade candidate. The Nats have been rebuilding for many years and are currently 22-27. They’re not totally buried in the standings but there are three strong clubs above them in the National League East. Lowe is slated for free agency after 2026 and is unlikely to be a big part of the next competitive window.
If he does end up traded this summer, it would be his second time being flipped in the span of less than a year. The Rangers sent him to the Nationals in December in exchange for left-hander Robert Garcia. Lowe’s four years in Texas had gone quite well. From 2021 to 2024, Lowe took 2,576 plate appearances as a Ranger. He hit 78 home runs, drew walks at a strong 11.3% clip and kept his strikeout rate at an average-ish 23.3% pace. He produced a combined line of .274/.359/.432 in that time, leading to a 123 wRC+. He helped the Rangers win their first championship in 2023.
He’s been out to a slower start this year. His 9.3% walk rate and 27.8% strikeout rate are both worse than during his time in Texas. His .223/.298/.397 line on the season leads to a 94 wRC+. It’s possible there’s some luck at play. His .275 batting average on balls in play is below this year’s .290 league average and also the .339 rate he carried during his time as a Ranger. His average exit velocity and hard hit rate are actually up relative to his career norms, according to Statcast.
Lowe is making a notable salary, though not an egregious one. It’s $10.3MM here in 2025 and can be retained via arbitration in 2026. Though his 2025 isn’t out to a roaring start, his contract status and past track record could make him a sought-after trade candidate this summer.
That’s unlikely to happen soon, however. As relayed by McAdam, most teams are reluctant to depart with a key player this early in the season as it would send a message to their fans that they are giving up. At this part of the calendar, teams are asking for essentially twice as much as they would for the same player at the deadline. Along those lines, the Nats are planning to keep Lowe around for now, both in the name of keeping their contending hopes alive for now while also having him serve as a veteran leader for a roster mostly composed of younger players.
Perhaps that will change as the deadline approaches but clubs looking for first base help will have to look elsewhere for the time being. The first base position has been a talking point in Boston for weeks now. Triston Casas suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon on May 2nd and required season-ending surgery. In the immediate aftermath of that development, it was reported that the Sox were exploring the trade market.
It’s possible that Lowe is one of the external options they considered but they haven’t been able to get anything done. Given McAdam’s framing of the current prices, that’s not especially surprising. That has left the Sox to try internal options for now.
Rafael Devers was approached about the possibility of taking up the spot but is apparently uninteresting in doing so. Romy González got a few starts at first after the Casas injury but he himself then landed on the 10-day injured list due to a left quad contusion. Abraham Toro and Nick Sogard have been getting the starts there over the past two weeks. Toro is hitting .192/.192/.346 this year while Sogard has a line of .222/.276/.259, so the Sox will naturally keep looking for better options.
The Sox have been getting Kristian Campbell prepared to play first but that’s a work in progress as he’s never played there before. If the Sox feel comfortable with him sliding over, it’s possible that prospect Marcelo Mayer could take over second base for Campbell. If that arrangement works out somewhat well, perhaps the Sox would be less interested in Lowe come July, though it’s also possible that other injuries lead to more positional shuffling in the months to come.
Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images
Giants make sense.
So much for Devers being a team player. I guess they never asked him before they signed Bregman. I always thought Alonso was the better fit for Boston and keep Devers
I’d put Story at 1st, Ceddanne at SS and call up Anthony
Why??? Why keep devers at 3rd??? Boston overpaid bregman so they would have an excuse not to play devers at 3rd
mlbnyyfan;
Feel better?
Devers would screw up 1B worse than he does 3B.
As Sparky Anderson once said of a DH he had:
“He plays Bat”.
How has Devers been influencing games the past few weeks since he got healthy?
I was just going to say Giants.
Wouldnt that block eldridge next year? Maybe this year
Agreed. Lamont Wade’s time in SF is nearing an end. Won’t be too hard for them to find an upgrade over the dreadful numbers he’s putting up this year.
If I’m the Nationals I’d ask for Casas, to slot into 1B for next year.
How long can Casas be controlled? Interesting proposition.
Casas has 3 arbitration years remaining. Lowe has 1 more arb year. Moving Casas for a package including Lowe would help address Boston’s logjam heading into 2026.
They already have Kristian Campbell practicing first base. Maybe Devers will pull his head out of his — and do the same. I don’t see a fit for the Red Sox this year or in ’26.
Lowe has little to no trade value. He’s a negative WAR player making 10 million dollars.
No way they trade Casas with that much control.
Lowe plus Kyle Finnegan for Casas and maybe a low level prospect.
The Sox aren’t going to sell low on Casas.
Zero chance the Sox trade Casas for Lowe.
But they should. Time will tell. Casas is not the defender Lowe is.
Casas’s offensive potential is much, much higher than Lowe’s. He’s also younger and controllable for twice as long. No chance the Sox give up Casas in a trade for Lowe.
Casas is injury prone,Three years three injuries Including breaking a rib swinging a bat and blowing out a knee running to first base.
Potential means nothing if you cant stay on the field..
Lowe to the BoSox, Liam Hendriks to the Cubs, prospects to the Nats and balance out the deal with secondary pieces.
Sox are in no position to trade from their bullpen.
I hope the Red Sox sit on their hands at first base. I have to think we have one player on the roster or in the system capable of playing first base as badly as Casas while also hitting about .260 with 15 HR’s. Devers was the way to have max production at the position and open another lineup spot, but since that isn’t the case, the goal is just have as much, more production from in house than bringing in a disposable rental schlub.
I just don’t see the point of spending/trading for anyone that will provide us with what we already probably have by default. I also do not see 1st base as a top 5 issue compared to the other problems this team has.
It finally all makes sense. Playing first base makes Devers “uninteresting”, according to Darragh. And here I thought he wasn’t being a good team player by refusing to play the position. Now, how can I blame him? I mean, who wants to be a bore?
I mean he could learn 1B and a comedy routine.
He has a negative WAR
If the Nats plan on contending next year why give him up? They are looking like a club with good building blocks.
Ok Breslow, even you can make this happen
safe to say the rangers won this trade?
That was the word for word comment I came to make before getting sidetracked.
In past years I would’ve said let’s do it but at some point you have to win games. He’s an important piece for a team with a bunch of young guys to learn from.
Notice that the article never mentions Josh Bell taking over at 1B if Lowe is dealt. Being the statistically worst hitter in baseball this year will do that.
It shouldn’t take much to get him if they’re trading Lowe …
Batting.223 perfect fit for the Red Sox let’s give them Anthony and Mayer because we clearly aren’t going to use them
Seattle says we will give you Donnie Bats and Rowdy for Lowe. You have a platoon at first and I am sure they will hit better in the sand boxes on the East Coast. You can also pick from the group of prospects that just finished out of the top 30. What ya say do we got a deal?
Probably be a decent fit in Houston if it wasn’t for the bad contract of Christian Walker. The Astros need a left-handed bat
Remember when the Sox stumbled upon Mike Lowell? This guy seems like a similar opportunity.