The Tampa Bay Rays continue to reshape the roster that made the World Series in 2020. The latest move that the franchise made included trading first baseman Nate Lowe to the Texas Rangers in exchange for three minor-league prospects.
The organization confirmed the move on Thursday, announcing that they will receive catcher/outfielder Heriberto Hernandez, infielder Osleivis Basabe, and outfielder Alexander Ovalles as part of the deal.
The Rangers, on the other hand, will also get minor-league first baseman Jake Guenther and a player to be named later alongside Lowe.
Nate Lowe, who made his MLB debut in 2019, played 21 games for the Rays this year. He finished the season with a .224 batting average, four home runs, and 11 RBIs.
In the postseason, the Rays only played Lowe once. The 25-year-old pitcher made it onto the field against the Toronto Blue Jays during the wild-card round, but failed to record a single hit after three trips to the plate.
While Lowe has a potential for a long MLB career, his trade doesn’t come as a surprise, especially after Tampa Bay reportedly tried to trade him ahead of the 2020 MLB trade deadline. The organization has a surplus of options at first base, and believed he wouldn’t have much opportunity to play in 2021.
By sending Lowe to Texas, Rays have now opened a roster spot and can look to fill a position of need. They also receive prospects that could potentially develop into solid contributors in the future.
