ARLINGTON, Texas — At this time in 2023, Nathaniel Lowe and his Texas Rangers teammates had a magical playoff run ahead of them, one culminating in the first World Series title in franchise history, setting off a raucous victory celebration including a parade through Arlington attended by thousands.
However, this season, Lowe, 29, who played at Mississippi State in 2015, and the Rangers have experienced what it’s like to wear a target on their chest. Texas has been beset by injuries, overall inconsistency, and a championship hangover. And even after a 4-3 win against Pittsburgh on Monday at home, giving the Rangers’ their first back-to-back wins in nearly a month, Texas is still 58-68, 11 games back in the American League West and 12 ½ games back in AL wild card chase.
“It’s been a struggle,” Lowe said. “There are a lot of players who aren’t performing to their maximum ability I’d say. It’s interesting navigating championship standards and figuring out how to get this group to work together and obviously, play better, which we’re still trying to figure out.”
Last season, he had a fellow former Bulldog in relief pitcher Chris Stratton, who was acquired from St. Louis at the 2023 MLB trade deadline and is now in Kansas City, to share the Rangers’ championship run. Earlier this year, he had another fellow Bulldog around in Justin Foscue, a heralded prospect who made his big-league debut and delivered a big hit in a Sunday Night ESPN game in April before being injured and ultimately ending up back in the minors.
Lowe debuted in April 2019 with the Rays and has been a Ranger since 2021, earning an AL Silver Slugger in 2022 and an AL Gold Glove at first base in 2023. Anytime he can introduce newcomers to the show, especially a fellow Bulldog, he’s happy to do it.
“Yeah, it was cool (to see Foscue debut),” he said. “I’m not around (State) that much anymore, so I don’t know a lot of these guys personally, but to have him be a high pick, be in the same organization, have a chance to get his feet wet and now navigate how he’s going to get back here and contribute, it’s been pretty cool to be able to get in his ear, rag on him a little bit, and help him out.”
In July, Tampa Bay visited Arlington, which meant that Nathaniel and younger brother Josh, who plays for the Rays, would be on the same field again. Also front and center was Wendy Lowe, their mother who was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2023. Wendy has responded well to chemotherapy and seeing her reunited with her sons along with their father, David, was a big deal for the Lowes.
“It’s great (to see her doing better), such a blessing. Having (third base coach and cancer survivor) Tony Beasley be here at work with me and somebody who’s gone through a cancer journey and other guys who’ve been affected by people who are dealing with it or are going through it personally just make it that much more worth it,” Lowe said. “For her to have a chance to heal and get that opportunity through Tony Beasley and through (others), it’s been really special.”
On Monday, Lowe was front and center as the Rangers welcomed 70 individuals serving in the Navy to Arlington to attend a game and get autographs from players and other team personnel. The Ranger players and staff wore special t-shirts honoring their special guests during batting practice and their pregame preparations. Since Nathaniel’s father is a former Navy pilot, giving back to veterans is a cause which is near and dear to the first baseman’s heart.
“It just makes me so grateful because so many people lay down their lives, lay down their personal lives, go overseas and do things that nobody here will ever hear about,” Lowe said. “On the home front and overseas, there are a lot of people doing great things that deserve thank-yous.”
Lowe’s manager is Bruce Bochy, who led the San Francisco Giants to World Series titles in 2010, 2012, and 2014 before guiding the Rangers to the baseball mountaintop in 2023, his first year in Texas. He feels that Nathaniel compares favorably to Brandon Belt, who played a prominent role on the Giants’ 2012 and 2014 title teams and had a 12-year big-league career with the Giants and Blue Jays.
“You almost take for granted the years that (Lowe) has. He reminds me of Brandon Belt,” Bochy said. “At the end of the year, his on-base (percentage) is always good, the OPS is pretty good. The overall game, the getting walks, he’s maybe not slugging like he did a couple years ago, but that’s something he’s working on. Numbers aren’t that bad when you look at all of them.”
And the always humble Lowe is honored to receive such a comparison from his skipper.
“That was really cool. He’s a car enthusiast. He’s from Texas, but he’s a great defender and great hitter too,” he said of Belt. “Regardless of whether he put up huge power numbers, he was instrumental in their championships, and he’s played this game for a really long time. It’s a really cool comp.”
Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas.
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