Why Red Sox Are Destined To Cut Ties With Former Silver Slugger

37 games in Boston, or more to come?

Feb 18, 2019; Lee County, FL, USA; A general view of a Boston Red Sox helmet as Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (19) walks on the field during a spring training workout at Jet Blue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Nathaniel Lowe and the Boston Red Sox became a partnership out of sheer necessity.

Lowe had just been cut by one of the worst teams in baseball in mid-August, and the Red Sox had gotten nothing from the first-base spot in months. The former Silver Slugger and World Series champion was an easy choice to bring in on a league-minimum contract.

However, it will take significantly more than that league-minimum figure for the Red Sox to keep Lowe in arbitration, and that's why it's highly unlikely to happen.

Red Sox bound to non-tender Nathaniel Lowe

Sep 19, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (37) hits a RBI single during the second inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, MassLive insider Chris Cotillo all but confirmed that the Red Sox would non-tender Lowe, who is due a much larger salary thanks to his accolades than his play on the field last season suggests he's worth. However, that doesn't entirely rule out a reunion in free agency.

"Lowe is technically under control as an arbitration-eligible player but would need to be paid something in the $13.5 million range for 2026, which is a massive overpay," Cotillo wrote. "Look for the Red Sox to cut him loose in an effort to test free agency; that could lead to a cheaper deal as a fallback option."

The 30-year-old Lowe performed better in his 34 regular-season games for the Red Sox than he did in Washington by a considerable margin. His .790 OPS was largely in line with his career average, though it was boosted mainly by a hot start, and after a good final two weeks, he was 1-for-7 in the wild-card series.

Considering Lowe's significant drop-off in on-base percentage, elevated strikeout rate, and diminished bat speed, there aren't many reasons to believe he'd get a multi-year deal in free agency. It's going to be a fairly saturated market at first base this offseason, considering how many contenders already have the position solved.

So if the Red Sox are feeling pessimistic about Triston Casas' injury recovery, plus they've struck out on bigger names like Pete Alonso and Eugenio Suárez, it would make sense to broker a cheap reunion with Lowe to shore up the first-base position next season.

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