Red Sox adding former Gold Glove, Silver Slugger first baseman for stretch run

BOSTON — The Red Sox are close to adding a veteran first baseman for the home stretch.

Boston is finalizing a contract with Nathaniel Lowe and could have him in the lineup before Monday’s game against the Orioles, according to major league sources. Lowe, a former Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner, could be active as soon as Monday, though the Sox will likely start lefty masher Romy Gonzalez against southpaw Trevor Rogers in the series opener against Baltimore.

Lowe was designated for assignment and subsequently released by the Nationals, so the Red Sox will owe him just the prorated portion of the major league minimum. Boston sprung into action quickly after Lowe cleared waivers.

Lowe, who turned 30 last month, has had a down year after the Rangers sent him to Washington in a December trade. He has hit just .216 with 16 homers, 68 RBIs, a .665 OPS and a 26.5% strikeout rate. He has been much better against righties (.235 average, .732 OPS) than lefties (.174, .516) so would project as a platoon partner alongside Gonzalez if he were to join the Red Sox.

The Sox were intrigued by Lowe — a former Silver Slugger winner (2022) and Gold Glover (2023) — because his track record of big league success suggests that there’s still a high ceiling despite his 2025 struggles. The club sees him as an upgrade over Abraham Toro, who, entering the weekend, had watched his OPS fall more than 200 points in the last two months, hitting just .199 with a .562 OPS in his last 50 games. On the season, Toro has a .238 average and .680 OPS against righties. The ceiling of Lowe is much higher, as he hit .274 with 78 homers and a .791 OPS over a four-season stretch with the Rangers before this season.

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The Sox are hoping Lowe can catch “lightning in a bottle” at a low cost over the final six weeks of the season with Lowe if a change of scenery and some tweaks lead to increased output. He’s also under team control for next year, though it’s unlikely the Red Sox would be willing to give him a raise that would guarantee more than his $10.3 million 2025 salary next year.

Roster moves are expected before Boston opens a two-game home series against the Orioles on Monday. As MassLive reported, infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton was summoned to Boston on Sunday as a potential call-up option, though the corresponding move for his promotion remains unclear. Right fielder Wilyer Abreu left Sunday’s loss with a calf injury but at this point is not a lock to hit the injured list. Boston could also move on from catcher Ali Sánchez, who has played just one inning since being claimed from the Blue Jays last weekend.

Toro’s roster spot could also be in jeopardy.