Following the injury to Triston Casas, Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro have been handling first base duties for the Boston Red Sox. They’ve performed admirably, but the position remains one the team may look to upgrade.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote that the Red Sox could look to acquire Washington Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.
The Nationals acquired Lowe in the offseason via a trade with the Texas Rangers. His stats at the plate aren’t exceptional right now. He’s hitting .227 with 10 home runs so far this season. The lefty has also seen his walk rate fall from a fantastic 12.6% to a pedestrian 8.4%. He hits righties well, though, so he could be an effective member of a platoon.
The first baseman’s real value lies in more than just his bat. Lowe won the 2023 American League Gold Glove at first base. He posted seven Outs Above Average in 2024, placing him in the 91st percentile.
Coming into 2025, Toro and Gonzalez played a combined 35 games at first base. While they’ve performed well so far, improved defense at the position could solidify an infield near the top of the league in errors.
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His ability to hit fastballs would also help the offense. The Red Sox rank near the top of the league in fastball whiff rate, and the left-handed hitting first baseman excels against them. Lowe could provide a spark against fastball-heavy pitchers.
Lowe has one year of arbitration remaining before he hits free agency. He’s making $10.3 million this season.
