The Texas Rangers traded first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to the Washington Nationals on Sunday for left-handed reliever Robert Garcia, the teams announced. The trade was first reported by ESPN.

Lowe, 29, hit 78 home runs in four seasons for Texas after beginning his career with the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2024, he hit 16 home runs while batting. 265/.361/.401. Lowe won a Silver Slugger Award in 2022 when he hit a career-best .302 with 27 home runs and a Gold Glove in 2023 when he helped Texas win the World Series. He’s known as a solid defender with some power, but his main skill is his ability to get on base – he has a .356 on-base percentage and 120 OPS+ for his career. According to MLB Trade Rumors, he is expected to make $10.7 million in arbitration.

For your countless contributions to the organization, the clubhouse and the community.

Thank you Nathaniel, you will forever be a World Series champ. pic.twitter.com/h6CxEdsgbI

– Texas Rangers (@Rangers) December 22, 2024

Joey Gallo was part of the Nationals’ first base group last season, but Washington bought Gallo’s $8 million option in November for $2.5 million.

Garcia, 28, appeared in 72 games for the Nationals in 2024, striking out 75 batters in 59 2/3 innings with a 4.22 ERA. While his ERA isn’t great, his underlying metrics suggest he had some bad luck last season. According to Baseball Savant, the BABIP against him was .329 and his expected ERA was in the 97th percentile. He will not be eligible for arbitration until after the 2026 season.

(Photo: Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)