Nathaniel Lowe Joins Reds Camp with a Shot - and a Straight Shooter in Terry Francona
GOODYEAR, Ariz. - When Nathaniel Lowe picked up the phone to talk with Terry Francona, he didn’t get a sales pitch. He got something better: honesty.
“I think the quote was, ‘I don’t want to oversell it,’” Lowe said with a smile Saturday, recalling the conversation that led him to sign a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds, complete with an invite to big-league spring training.
That kind of candor might seem rare in a game where promises can be as fleeting as spring sunshine. But for Lowe, it was exactly what he needed.
“I appreciate the honesty,” he said. “That’s kind of what you look for when you look for a job and somewhere to be. For somebody to come out and shoot you straight - it’s all you can ask for.”
Francona, back in the dugout after stepping away from the game, didn’t sugarcoat the situation. He told Lowe there were no guarantees - but there would be respect.
And on Day 1, the Reds delivered. Lowe was handed jersey No. 31 and given a locker among the big leaguers in camp, a clear sign that he wasn’t just another name on a minor-league deal.
“I told him I’ll probably undersell it,” Francona said, “because I don’t feel comfortable bullsh-ting someone to get them in there, and then a month later, it’s not what I said.”
Lowe, now 30, has been around long enough to know the value of that kind of straight talk. A World Series champion with the 2023 Texas Rangers, he sees some familiar themes in Francona’s return to managing.
“It’s a similar situation to [Bruce] Bochy, coming out of retirement and getting brought to a winning club,” Lowe said. “I don’t think that [Francona] would’ve gotten back into the skipper’s chair if he weren’t looking to win.”
That winning vibe? Lowe’s been feeling it from afar. He openly rooted for the Reds during last October’s Wild Card Series against the Dodgers.
“It’s nice to see an organization get good players out there and start winning again,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of talent in this clubhouse, and it’s a good opportunity to play winning baseball.”
Now he’s hoping to be part of it. If Lowe makes the roster, he’ll earn $1.75 million, with incentives that could push the deal to $2 million based on plate appearances. It’s a modest contract for a player with his résumé - a Silver Slugger in 2022, a Gold Glove winner in 2023 - but it reflects the reality of his 2025 season.
Lowe struggled mightily in Washington after being traded from Texas to the Nationals, hitting just .216/.292/.373 with 16 homers in 119 games. He was eventually designated for assignment and picked up by Boston, where he showed flashes of his old self - slashing .280/.370/.420 in 34 games. Still, the Red Sox non-tendered him at season’s end.
That left him on the outside looking in - a scenario that’s become all too common for veteran players in today’s market.
“There’s a lot of players out there that can help ball clubs win games, and they just haven’t gotten jobs,” Lowe said. “People are looking into the future. It’s not really a secret, but I’m happy to have a uniform now.”
The Reds’ infield picture is already crowded at first base. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was the Opening Day starter last year.
Spencer Steer, a 2025 Gold Glove finalist, is in the mix. Rookie Sal Stewart is knocking on the door.
Even Eugenio Suárez, expected to see time at DH, could factor in at first.
But Lowe brings something the others don’t: a left-handed bat. As of the start of camp, the Reds had just five lefty hitters on their 40-man roster, and only one - center fielder TJ Friedl - is projected as an everyday starter. Elly De La Cruz is a switch-hitter, but the rest of the lineup leans righty-heavy.
That makes Lowe’s left-handed presence intriguing. His career OPS+ sits at 116 - meaning he’s been 16% better than league average offensively over seven seasons. That kind of track record doesn’t grow on trees, especially from the left side of the plate.
Still, Francona isn’t rushing to define roles or predict roster spots.
“I think it’s too early to start thinking about how guys fit,” the manager said. “It never fails - if one guy goes down, it changes so much. Let them get ready and see how they play, and we’ll put it together the best way we think it works.”
For Lowe, it’s simple. He’s here to compete. After spending the offseason with his wife and their newborn son - born in August - he’s back in camp, back in uniform, and back in the fight for a roster spot.
“I’ve just got to come in and compete,” he said. “There’s an opportunity to get this team better, so I’m on the outside looking in from a roster standpoint right now, but there’s a chance to come in and compete.”
That’s all he’s asking for - a shot and a straight answer. And in Cincinnati, he’s getting both.