Offseason Addition Making Big Impact With Reds Early On In 2026 Campaign

CINCINNATI – Nathaniel Lowe had a solid big-league career prior to the 2025 season. He may be bouncing back and in a big way with the Reds this season.

Power the Reds Need

Nate Low — Apr 24, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe (31) hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

One thing Lowe gives the Reds is a much-needed power presence, whether it's coming off the bench or in the starting lineup. Even with a down season overall in 2025, he posted a 95 OPS+ and 91 wRC+, and he still hit 18 home runs between his time with the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox, which was his highest total since 2022.

Friday night's game versus the Detroit Tigers was a prime example of the damage he can do offensively. Lowe went 2-5 with two home runs, including a walk-off two-run shot to complete the comeback after a lengthy rain delay. This will be the first time in his career that he hasn't been relied upon to be an everyday player in the lineup. The Reds signed him to a minor league contract late in the season, and he's been exemplary in accepting this new role.

“You’ve just got to get over it,” Lowe told Charlie Goldsmith. “The game isn’t going to stop for me. Every chance that I get, I’ve got to put out my best product.”

Those two home runs were the first two of the season, and they impacted the game in separate ways. He was a late addition to the lineup on Friday. Eugenio Suarez was scratched from the lineup with an oblique injury, and Lowe was subsequently added to the lineup late. He made the biggest impact overall on Friday.

“They say they come in bunches," Lowe said of his homers after the game. "Thankfully, after I tore the lid off on the first one, I get to open up, and I’d like to see a bunch keep coming, but just throwing together quality at-bats will lead to that.”

Hitting's Contagious

Lowe can provide leadership to the younger players dealing with a slump. Matt McLain had an incredible spring after a disappointing season in 2025. He hit .509 with a 1.540 OPS and seven home runs in Spring Training. Unfortunately, that bat stayed in Arizona as he was hitting just .199 before Friday night's game.

McLain now has a hit in five straight games, hit his first two home runs of the season on Friday night as well. The majority of the power has been from rookie Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz. The bats may finally be warming up, and the impact of having more than one consistent power bat is huge.

“He looked like the kid that we saw in Spring Training," Francona said. "He hit the ball in the first inning right up the middle, line drive [for a double play]. It was a really pretty swing. It was barreled up. And you hope he doesn’t try to do more, and he didn’t. The ball jumped off his bat.”

After their comeback win, the Reds are now 11-0 in games decided by two runs or less.

“It speaks to the character we have in this room, and the type of players you have in this room," McLain said. "Rain delays aren’t always fun. But it’s baseball at the end of the day. We’re going out there to win a game, and it was a good one tonight.”

With Suarez headed to the injured list, having Nathaniel Lowe prove to be one of the more important moves the Reds made last offseason.

Add us as a preferred source on Google