The Boston Red Sox made the least shocking move of all time on Sunday night, agreeing to terms on a contract with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe after he was designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals. After months of struggling to field consistent production at first base, Boston has a former World Series champ and Silver Slugger to anchor the bottom of the lineup.
This has not been Lowe's best season at the plate — .665 OPS and 86 wRC+, both career-worst marks — but he brings a level of experience and pedigree the Red Sox can appreciate. He is also, plain and simple, a better option than anybody else on the current roster. Romy González has filled in admirably at times, but he's a natural second baseman and more of a platoon bat in a perfect world.
By far the worst consequence of Triston Casas' early-season injury, aside from all the indirect Rafael Devers fallout, was the consistent playing time for Abraham Toro. While the Red Sox needed a body, Toro never really made a compelling case for why Boston should keep him around.
And yet... he's still around, even after the Lowe signing.
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Red Sox can't escape Abraham Toro, even after Nathaniel Lowe signing
Unfortunately for the Red Sox (and their fans), Lowe's arrival coincided with Rob Refsynder hitting the 10-day injured list. That keeps an extra roster spot open for the MLB club, which currently belongs to... yup. Abraham Toro. Until further notice, he will remain on the big-league roster.
In fairness to Toro, his numbers aren't much worse than Lowe's this season (.680 OPS, 83 wRC+). It just feels like there is considerably less upside. Whereas Lowe was an above-average hitter for six straight seasons before hitting a snag in 2025, Toro has yet to prove that Boston can depend on him in meaningful games.
Lowe is joining a new team, in a ballpark that fits his swing profile. We could see his numbers perk up as a result. Toro has been a persistent weakness for Boston, not only at the plate, but in the field as well. He offers a bit of versatility, comfortable lining up at various infield positions, but Toro has done very little to contribute to winning in Boston this season.
Abraham Toro won't be on the Red Sox roster for long
The silver lining, of course, is that Toro almost certainly won't remain with the MLB squad through October. Once Refsnyder is back, barring further injuries, Boston should be able to demote Toro to Triple-A without losing sleep. There are also multiple potential replacements coming up through the farm system, including the red-hot Kristian Campbell. The former top prospect has recovered from his early-season slump and looks ready for another opportunity in the big leagues, especially with Marcelo Mayer's season done.
Whether Boston gets healthy, calls up a prospect, finds another bat on the waiver market, or a mix of all three, Toro feels like the next man up on the chopping block. So, while Boston still needs to proceed with Toro on the roster, it's only temporary. He moves further down the depth chart after the Lowe signing, too, so it's a not a reason for major concern.