CONFIRMED: Red Sox Confirm To Cut Ties With Former Gold Glover Due To This Painful Reason

The Boston Red Sox faced ongoing challenges at first base throughout the past season.

Triston Casas’ injury, Rafael Devers’ unwillingness to take on the role, and Abraham Toro’s decline after a strong start all contributed to the instability. In their search for a reliable option, the team even tried out Kristian Campbell and Masataka Yoshida at the position.

The midseason addition of Nathaniel Lowe as a free agent brought much-needed stability to the Red Sox’s first base situation. However, despite having team control over Lowe for next season, there’s a clear reason why Boston might consider moving on from him.

Nathaniel Lowe is non-tender candidate, insider confirms

On Monday, MLB Trade Rumors projected Nathaniel Lowe to earn $13.5 million through arbitration — a figure the site is usually accurate in estimating. While Lowe brings an impressive résumé as a former Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger, and World Series champion, that projected salary far exceeds what his recent performance might justify.

In response to the projection — and echoing a sentiment shared by many analysts since his arrival — Red Sox beat writer Sean McAdam of MassLive reported Tuesday that Boston could very well opt to non-tender the 30-year-old first baseman.

“Because Lowe is projected to make $13.5 million the Red Sox could well non-tender him. They could then re-sign him at a lesser figure or allow him to become a free agent,” McAdam wrote.

“The deadline to offer salary arbitration-eligible and pre-eligible players has not yet been set, but usually, it occurs in the last 10 days of November.”

The Red Sox could probably sign New York Mets five-time All-Star Pete Alonso for less than double the figure Lowe is projected for, assuming Alonso gets a four or five-year contract.

It’s hard to envision Boston committing itself to a player who put up a .689 OPS this season and looked powerless against fastballs down the stretch when the Red Sox needed offense.

Given that Nathaniel Lowe was an above-average hitter from 2021 through last season, it’s reasonable to expect that a team might be willing to offer him a major league deal this offseason. However, before that can happen, the more immediate and likely move is that the Red Sox will non-tender him — a procedural step that now seems increasingly probable.