The Red Sox didn’t add any bats ahead of the trade deadline, but a player with whom they have been linked all season will reportedly be joining the club after all.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan and others, the Red Sox are in talks to sign former Washington Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Lowe was designated for assignment earlier this week by the Nationals and now looks primed to join a Red Sox lineup that already ranked among MLB’s highest scoring offenses.
First baseman Nathaniel Lowe and the Boston Red Sox are finalizing a deal, sources tell ESPN. Lowe was DFA’d by Washington earlier this week and will head to Boston and join one of the best lineups in the league.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 18, 2025
Lowe, 30, is in the midst of a down year but has enjoyed considerable success throughout his seven-year big league career. He has won a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger and was a member of the Texas Rangers’ 2023 World Series championship squad.
This past offseason Lowe was acquired in a trade by the Nationals from the Rangers and endured significant struggles upon his arrival in Washington. Lowe has been a sub-replacement level player (-0.4 wins above replacement) with a .216 batting average, 16 home runs and a .665 OPS, and since the start of August he’s gone 3 for 33 in his last 11 games.
Even with his challenging season, Lowe could still provide a boost to the Red Sox.
Ever since Triston Casas was lost for the season with a knee injury, the Red Sox have used the platoon of Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro at first base. Gonzalez has played well and has been particularly dominant against left-handed pitching, but Toro’s production has fallen off after a hot start.
As a left-handed hitter, Lowe would most likely slot into Toro’s spot as the usual starting first baseman against right-handed pitchers, against whom he has hit 14 home runs with a respectable .732 OPS. The Red Sox will also hope that the veteran will benefit from a change of scenery and potentially get back to being the player he was in Texas when he at times ranked among the game’s best all-around first basemen.
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