The Red Sox announced four roster moves Monday afternoon, including an unexpected outfield injury.
Wilyer Abreu exited Sunday’s game with right calf tightness, but it was Rob Refsnyder whom Boston placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain Monday (retroactive to Aug. 15), along with recalling infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton from Triple-A and designating catcher Ali Sanchez for assignment.
The Red Sox also officially announced the signing of first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to a one-year deal for the ’25 season.
It’s been a whirlwind weekend for Lowe, who leaves a last-place Washington Nationals team (50-74) for a ball club vying for its first postseason berth since ’21.
“It’s so exciting,” Lowe said as he stood in the Red Sox clubhouse for the first time Monday afternoon. “Getting plugged into a lineup that’s having great success and is part of making a great postseason push is what it’s all about, so it’s a true blessing to be here.”
The Red Sox entered Monday 68-57 on the season, five games back from the Toronto Blue Jays and just a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East. Boston is also tied with Seattle for the top AL Wild Card spot.
“It’s right in front of us,” said Lowe. “The whole point is winning, and we got a chance to win in this clubhouse, and I got a chance to contribute to winning baseball, so that’s all I can really ask for.”
Since Triston Casas’ season ending injury the first weekend of May, the Red Sox have split first base duties between utility-men Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez. Lowe, the American League Gold Glove winner two years ago, should help a ball club that leads the majors with 97 errors, including nine at first base (T-3 in MLB).
Lowe also won the ’22 AL Silver Slugger at his position and became a World Series champion with the ’23 Texas Rangers. However, his designation for assignment by the Nats Thursday came after he hit .216 with a .665 OPS in 119 games, a far cry from the .272 average and .789 OPS he posted between his ’19 debut and the end of last season.
“I’d like to have amnesia,” he joked of his performance thus far this season. “I’d like to kind of wipe it from my memory, because it hasn’t gone nearly as well as I’d liked it to, but there’s some bright spots that I can look at and still hang my hat on. But there’s so much room for improvement, and there’s a lot of time left for this team to do something special.”
In 14 career games at Fenway, Lowe is 15 for 57 (.263) with five doubles, a home run, eight runs, 15 RBI, seven walks and 12 strikeouts.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming here as a visiting player, I think the game-day environment is so great,” Lowe said. “Seeing this team win and being a part of something like that is so attractive. There’s a need for first base, and I’d like to think I can plug myself in and really contribute.”
In 18 career postseason games between the 2020 Tampa Bay Rays and ’23 Texas Rangers, he collected 14 hits, including two doubles and three home runs.
“It’s definitely a different animal,” Lowe said of October baseball. “You throw your personal stats aside, and the only thing that matters is winning that day, and I think playing that brand of baseball down the stretch, and obviously in the postseason, is most important.
“It’s kind of addicting. It’s like, the point of the whole thing is winning the whole thing, and we’d like to think there’s a chance to do that here.”
Red Sox injury updates
Tanner Houck underwent “hybrid reconstruction of the right ulnar collateral ligament (elbow) with flexor tendon repair,” the Red Sox announced Monday afternoon. The right-hander last pitched in May and will now miss most, if not all of the ’26 season.
Justin Slaten will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday. Cora said he was going to throw live batting practice Monday but felt good enough to move up his timetable, instead.
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