Jul 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A 4th of July themed Boston Red Sox cap rests in the dugout during a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Red Sox Could Cut Ties With Former Gold Glover Due To Rising Costs

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox's first-base position was the subject of plenty of strife this past season.

From Triston Casas' injury, to Rafael Devers' refusal to play the position, to Abraham Toro's slump after a hot start, the Red Sox spent months searching for consistency at first base. They even had Kristian Campbell and Masataka Yoshida experiment with donning a first baseman's mitt.

The acquisition of Nathaniel Lowe as an in-season free agent solidified Boston's plans at first base down the stretch. But although Lowe is under team control for next season, there's one obvious reason Boston might choose to send him on his way.

Nathaniel Lowe is non-tender candidate, insider confirms

On Monday, Lowe was projected for a $13.5 million salary in arbitration by MLB Trade Rumors, a site that is typically quite accurate at predicting where those arbitration numbers will land. As a former Gold Glover, Silver Slugger, and World Series winner, his price tag is a lot higher than his production from this past season would typically dictate.

Reacting to that salary projection, and confirming a notion that many analysts have had since Lowe was acquired, Red Sox beat reporter Sean McAdam of MassLive wrote Tuesday that Boston may very well 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.

Because he was an above-average hitter from 2021 through last year, it makes sense that some team would take a chance on giving Lowe a major league contract this winter. But that first procedural step of the Red Sox hitting him with a non-tender appears likely at this stage.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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