BOSTON — Nathaniel Lowe arrived contained in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse on Monday with a number of questions and rather a lot to show as properly.
Lowe, signed by the Pink Sox after he was positioned on waivers following being designated for project by the Washington Nationals, will assist Boston at first base, in line with supervisor Alex Cora.
Cora instructed reporters on Monday that Lowe, who has a profession OPS+ of 116 however posted simply an 88 in 440 at-bats this season in Washington, would support the Pink Sox in positional conditions on the plate.
“We’ll use him towards righties, sure lefties,” Cora mentioned. “We’ll maximize the roster this yr.”
The Pink Sox are hoping to see extra of the Lowe who gained a Silver Slugger in 2022 with the Texas Rangers, then posted a 114 OPS+ together with a Gold Glove at first base to assist the Rangers win the World Collection in 2023.
“… An up-and-down season for him with the Nationals. Hopefully he comes right here — we talked a bit bit concerning the wall and what it means to lefties. And he’s excited to be right here,” Cora mentioned.
Lowe indicated he was excited to get a recent begin in Boston and put behind a season to date that has resulted in a .216/.292/.373 slash line.
Regardless of these numbers, nevertheless, Lowe has come by way of when wanted. With runners in scoring place, he is hitting .291 this season, matching his profession batting common within the division.
“I would prefer to have amnesia. I would prefer to wipe it from my reminiscence as a result of it hasn’t gone practically in addition to I might have appreciated for it to,” Lowe mentioned. “There are nonetheless some brilliant spots I can take a look at and nonetheless hold my hat on, however there’s a lot room for enchancment.”
Lowe’s addition must also enhance a primary base platoon that has ranked twenty third amongst MLB’s 30 groups in Wins Above Common this season. Boston’s minus-1.7 on the place is the worst within the American League East and third-worst within the AL.
“Getting plugged right into a lineup that is having nice success and part of making a terrific postseason push is what it is all about,” Lowe mentioned. “It is a true blessing to be right here.”
Lowe is one among 13 gamers to file no less than 15 residence runs and 65 RBI in every of the final 5 seasons. These sorts of numbers could be a plus for the Pink Sox as they give the impression of being to catch the Toronto Blue Jays within the AL East and proceed to tweak the roster.
“We made the large choice with Raffy (trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants) and we needed to study once more as a result of we had been enjoying good baseball,” Cora mentioned. “It was a bit bit robust for the staff however then we bought right here and we turned the web page.
“That is the place we’re, however we nonetheless have a protracted methods to go.”
Whereas maybe a protracted methods to go in his eyes, Cora and the Pink Sox hope that Lowe will assist be the compass that factors them towards a deep postseason run.
