Nathaniel Lowe Injury update: Rangers first baseman's Opening Day start in doubt following latest setback
The Texas Rangers may have a rough start to the 2024 season as first baseman Nathaniel Lowe battles with an oblique strain, which could keep him from playing on Opening Day. Manager Bruce Bochy revealed Lowe’s injury on Friday, stating that the infielder may be out for at least three weeks.
Lowe won both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards in 2023, being a significant player for the 2023 World Series champions.
Despite an impressive .262 batting average, 17 home runs, and 82 RBIs, Lowe has struggled in this year’s spring training, registering only three hits in 18 at-bats. Now, the 28-year-old might not be able to play on Opening Day when the Rangers will host the Chicago Cubs.
Nathaniel Lowe has been a steady presence on the field. He played in all 17 postseason games during the Rangers’ World Series win and in a total of 161 regular-season games last year. Interestingly, Lowe has never been injured in his professional career.
Nathaniel Lowe will be substituted internally
During a press conference, Nathaniel Lowe voiced his disappointment about the setback and acknowledged the hardship involved with shifting from full participation on the field to being sidelined due to injury. The Rangers are already dealing with the absence of shortstop Corey Seager, who is rehabbing from a sports hernia.
Bruce Bochy stated that the team will most likely fill Lowe’s role internally, bringing up names like Ezequiel Duran, Justin Foscue, Blaine Crim, and Jared Walsh, who are expected to be brought in to fill Lowe’s spot. These athletes have demonstrated their ability during spring training, with Foscue standing out with a .348 batting average.
Nathaniel Lowe’s injury is a huge setback to the Texas Rangers’ offensive lineup, given his steady production in previous years. While the team has several options for filling his spot, the impact of losing a player of Lowe’s caliber is clear. For now, fans will be interested in how the Rangers deal with this setback and if Lowe can recover quickly and fully.