The deal, which will be for a prorated portion of the major league minimum after Lowe was designated for assignment by Washington earlier this month and went unclaimed on waivers, adds a veteran bat to a first-base mix that has been uncertain since Triston Casas’ season-ending knee injury in May.
Lowe, 30, had been a consistent presence for the Texas Rangers for the past four seasons, including their World Series championship run in 2023. But after an offseason trade to the Nationals, Lowe posted career lows in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Nevertheless, Boston was thrilled to bring him in, hopeful he can find a resurgence at Fenway Park, where he could fit nicely on the left side of a platoon. Lowe has hit 14 home runs in 337 plate appearances against right-handed pitching this season, posting an OPS+ 20% better than league average.
The Red Sox have split time at first between veterans Abraham Toro against right-handed starters and Romy Gonzalez against left-handers. In 109 plate appearances against lefties, Gonzalez is punishing them, hitting .354/.404/.667. After a strong start to the season, Toro’s performance has faltered over the past five weeks, leaving a potential opportunity for Lowe.
Despite the questions at first, Boston ranks fourth in runs scored in the major leagues with 626 in 125 games, just 14 behind the big league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox have got potential fortification waiting at Triple-A as well, with rookie Kristian Campbell righting his swing, Vaughn Grissom still playing well enough for an opportunity and top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia slugging 17 home runs in 65 games.
With Lowe going unclaimed on waivers, the Nationals will owe him most of the remainder of his $10.3 million salary. Lowe will be arbitration-eligible next offseason, offering the possibility Boston could bring him back in 2026.
At 68-57 this season, the Red Sox are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the top wild-card spot, a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees. The next-closest team in the AL wild-card race is Cleveland, which is 3½ games behind New York.
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