Nationals First Baseman Could Be Desirable Trade Piece Despite Contract

Wil the Washington Nationals look to move their first baseman this summer?

May 31, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Washington Nationals infielder Nathaniel Lowe (33) comes in to score the third run of the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

With a tough stretch of baseball coming up for the Washington Nationals, the next week and a half should provide some clarity about what this team can be in 2025.

In their next three series, the Nationals will be facing the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and New York Mets in that order. While the Rangers have been a disappointment so far this season, the Mets and the Cubs are two of the best teams in the National League.

Currently, Washington is still right below the .500 mark, but with stiff competition coming, that could change for the worse quickly.

More than likely, the Nationals are going to end up being sellers in 2025. This doesn’t appear to be a team that is ready to be considered a contender in the NL, and moving veterans to continue to stockpile assets makes the most sense.

Washington should have some desirable players to move, but time will tell if they end up pulling the trigger on a potential deal.

Is Nationals First Baseman on the Block?

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe being a desirable trade target despite the size on his contract.

“Lowe carries a hefty price tag for a first baseman who doesn't have much in the way of power. And truth be told, he probably should be a platoon guy rather than an everyday player.”

This winter, arguably the most significant addition that Washington made was the trade with the Rangers for Lowe. The first baseman was a former Gold Glove player and has shown some ability at the plate in the past.

However, while the defense is still there, the offense has been lackluster in the past few years, including in 2025. So far this campaign, he has slashed .230/.300/.381 with eight home runs and 40 RBI. With an OPS below .700, he hasn’t performed well offensively and hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.

Lowe is making $10.3 million this season, and is arbitration-eligible in 2026, so a potential trade partner could have another year of team control for him.

Even though he hasn’t been great offensively, first base is a need for a couple of contenders, which could help his trade value.

As the trade deadline gets closer, the Nationals should start to see what type of team they could be for the rest of this year and into the next campaign. However, if the offer is good, moving Lowe makes sense with the likelihood of being a contender in 2026 also being slim as of now.