Washington Nationals Acquire Nathaniel Lowe in Trade With Texas Rangers
The Washington Nationals have made their biggest move of the offseason, adding an impact first baseman via trade.
ESPN insider Jeff Passan broke the news that the Nationals would be acquiring first baseman Nathaniel Lowe from the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon in exchange for southpaw reliever Robert Garcia.
Lowe was probably the best non-Pete Alonso player still available at first base, making this a solid move for Washington.
The 29-year-old has two more years of club control and has a .277/.360/.438 slash line over the last three seasons. He'll provide a reliable bat at first, hitting around 20 home runs per year.
He was a large part of the World Series push for the Rangers back in 2023, bringing solid experience in big moments to a young roster.
Garcia is a solid bullpen arm, but is worth parting ways with for a huge upgrade in the infield. The 28-year-old has a career 4.03 ERA over 91.2 innings of work. He has high strikeout potential and is under team control through 2029.
First base was a huge need for the Nationals, and the past few days had been brutal for their options.
Christian Walker signed with the Houston Astros and Josh Naylor was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, which then led to the Cleveland Guardians signing Carlos Santana.
This also all comes after Washington tried and failed to sign Paul Goldschmidt, who eventually signed with the New York Yankees.
Though the Nationals' inactivity this offseason was frustrating for fans to watch, they have added a player at a clear position of need who fits their rebuilding timeline.
