Since the offseason began, rumors have been going around that Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe‘s time with the team could be coming to an end. Lowe has been starting at first for the Rangers since 2021 and has remained one of the most consistent players in the lineup since then. However, with the Rangers currently handcuffed financially and needing to address their underwhelming pitching staff, the organization might have to let go of some of their most valuable assets, including Lowe.
Nathaniel Lowe’s Rangers Tenure Could End Soon
Through the 2024 season, Lowe, similar to most of his teammates, had a somewhat lackluster performance on offense. He finished the season with a respectable .265/.361 /.401 slashing line, along with 17 homers. Although Lowe was able to remain an above-average player from a statistical standpoint, he seemed to be lacking a step through most of the season. Lowe’s underwhelming performance could be traced back to being forced to miss the first month of the season due to an oblique strain, putting him on the injured list for the first time in his career.
Lowe was able to revert to his former self towards the end of the season, and ended September with an impressive .310/.413/.517 line. While Lowe was frustrated with how he performed through most of the season, team president Chris Young showed his support for Lowe when he said, “ Nate’s overall body of work was really solid.” Even though Young endorsed Lowe, recent moves by the front office make fans wonder if the Rangers are planning to put Lowe on the trade block in the near future.
Potential Replacement
Less than a week ago, the team acquired slugger Jake Burger from the Miami Marlins. Burger has spent the majority of his career playing both first and third base. While it could be argued that Burger was acquired simply to help strengthen the team’s lineup, which struggled mightily to hit for power last season, his addition does force fans to wonder if his arrival will mark the end of Lowe’s tenure with the Rangers.
As mentioned earlier, the Rangers will need to cut costs this offseason. If the team is serious about wanting to fix their dismantled bullpen and weakened rotation. Lowe happens to be one of the most expensive position players for the Rangers. Going into 2025, his salary will jump from $7.5 million to above $10 million due to arbitration.
From a financial standpoint, it would make sense for the Rangers to transition from Lowe to Burger at first base, as the Rangers will only be paying $800,000 to Burger in 2025. Burger is also coming off arguably the best season of career yet, as he finished his 2024 campaign with 29 homers along with an impressive .460 slugging percentage.
A Tough Decision
Jake Burger (left) vs. Nathaniel Lowe (right) power number comparison. pic.twitter.com/9oIpl9wFSc
— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) December 11, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Although it would be a much cheaper option for the Rangers to let Lowe go and make Burger their everyday first baseman, the organization must consider what they would be losing first. While Burger has gained a reputation for being one of the most lethal power hitters in the league, hitting 25 or more home runs in three of his past five seasons, he is nowhere near as consistent a player as Lowe.
While Lowe’s numbers may have declined during this past season, he still remains an above-average player, currently carrying a .356 on-base percentage, which is well above the league average. Lowe has also rarely spent time on the IL, which is a major contrast to Burger, who has yet to complete an entire season since arriving in the majors in 2021.
Whether at first base or not, Burger will be a welcome addition to the lineup. Meanwhile, Lowe’s durability and consistent numbers may force the Rangers to reconsider sending him to a new team, even though it may be detrimental to the team’s pitching staff, especially the bullpen, if the team decides to keep Lowe. The Rangers may be better off overall keeping Lowe as their everyday first baseman due to Burger’s inability to complete a full season so far in his career.
The Last Word
It will be interesting to see how the next few months play out for Nathaniel Lowe and the Rangers. Lowe remains one of the best first basemen in MLB, and Texas would sorely miss him on both the offensive and defensive sides if they decide to send him elsewhere. However, as the Rangers continue to build up their weakened pitching staff, the cost of doing business might involve Lowe.
Photo Credit: © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The post One Infielder’s Tenure with Rangers Could Be Running Short appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.