Nationals First Baseman Nathaniel Lowe Listed as Top Trade Candidate

Should the Washington Nationals trade Nathaniel Lowe this summer?

May 16, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (33) rounds the bases following his solo home run in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

It has been a challenging month for the Washington Nationals, who are well under the .500 mark in mid-May.

Coming into the year, there was some hope that things were starting to turn around for the Nationals, but that doesn’t appear to be the case once again this season.

This winter, Washington didn’t make a major splash in free agency but did add some solid veteran pieces. However, their offseason moves haven’t helped them improve in the win column at this point.

While there have been some bright spots in terms of young players developing, this is a team that wants to see some wins.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Nationals will once again be sellers, barring a miraculous turnaround. With some veteran pieces on expiring deals, Washington will likely be active this summer.

Who is Nationals’ Top Trade Candidate?

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the top trade candidate for the Nationals this year being their talented first baseman, Nathaniel Lowe.

“With club control through 2026, Lowe is not a lock to be traded this summer as the Nationals try to take the next step forward from rebuilding to contending.”

While there are going to be multiple options, the top choice in terms of a potential return is going to be their first baseman.

This past offseason, Lowe was arguably the biggest addition for the team in a trade with the Texas Rangers. Washington sent talented relief pitcher Robert Garcia to the Rangers in exchange for Lowe.

The veteran first baseman came to the Nationals with the ability to not only improve the offense, but the defense as well. With another year of team control after this campaign, that also raises his trade value.

So far this year, the slugger has slashed .227/.304/.407 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. He has certainly had a positive impact on the team, but with contending looking unlikely in 2026 as well, moving him makes sense.

While Lowe has been good, other veterans have not produced and helped this team win. Furthermore, the bullpen has been one of the worst in the league so far this campaign.

Even though the team might have had some hope and expectation of improving this year to potentially compete in 2026, that seems unlikely.

Now, the team should be focused on moving talented assets to continue to grow their farm system. While Lowe might not be a free agent at the end of the season, he does provide trade value for the franchise.