Red Sox move could hand Padres a low-cost power bat for their first base hole

The San Diego Padres' search for power and first base help this offseason is going to be a tricky one to navigate, even in a loaded free-agent class at the position, due to budget constraints and an expensive, aging roster.

That being said, the team may not need a Pete Alonso or Munetaka Murakami to fix what ails the offense. Even amidst rumors regarding a potential reunion with Luis Arraez, the Padres won't be hard-pressed to improve on the meager 109 wRC+ they got out of the position in 2025.

If other priorities force them to go thrift shopping for first basemen, the Boston Red Sox may have just granted A.J. Preller his best scrapheap option. World Series champion and Gold Glover Nathaniel Lowe was designated for assignment earlier this week, and he could be a tidy fit within the Padres' veteran-laden lineup.

Nathaniel Lowe, Padres could unite in low-cost, high-upside deal this offseason

Now that Lowe has officially be non-tendered, he's a free agent without any baggae attached.

To say it's been a precipitous fall from grace for the former Texas Rangers star would be an understatement. He was worth negative WAR (-0.4 fWAR) for the first time in his career in 2025, and this past season was also the first time his wRC+ (91) fell below the league-average threshold of 100.

That being said, he was far better with the Red Sox than he was with the Nationals in the first half of the campaign, as he hit .280/.370/.420 (114 wRC+) in Boston after being claimed on waivers. He stopped selling out for power and focused on a contact-oriented approach, which boosted his batting line but may not jibe with the Padres' needs.

Still, he posted a .330 wOBA and 111 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers this past season, and his defense improved dramatically in Boston after a sloppy performance in the nation's capital. He may be a ways removed from his Gold Glove (2023) and Silver Slugger (form) with the Rangers, but he's still capable of above-average production on both sides of the ball in the right situation.

The Padres can offer him a clear path to playing time, especially if they find a right-handed hitting platoon option for him (and Gavin Sheets). He was projected to earn $13.5 million in his final season of arbitration, but after being non-tendered, it's not hard to imagine San Diego getting a bargain-bin deal for less than eight figures as Lowe attempts to rehab his value.

Of course, the Padres would benefit from signing one of the elite options on the market. If their monetary constraints price them out of that tier, though, Lowe could prove to be an excellent backup plan.