The NL East has been a two-horse race to begin the 2025 MLB season, with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets going back and forth atop the division. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves are entering Thursday's action with the division's third-best record (24-24), leaving time to reveal how the race will shake up as the campaign continues.
Even though the NL East looks one way now, things could change the closer the season gets to July's trade deadline. Each of the division's five teams will be looking to make deals in the coming months, regardless of whether they're buyers or sellers, including one club whose received recent interest regarding a veteran slugger.
Braves Rumors: Nationals Receiving Trade Interest for 1B Nathaniel Lowe
On Wednesday's edition of the "Fenway Rundown" podcast, MassLive's Sean McAdam reported that the Washington Nationals are receiving interest regarding first baseman Nathaniel Lowe's potential availability.
"I did hear that at least one team had contacted the Nationals of late to inquire about the potential availability of Lowe," McAdam said. "I don't know for a fact that that was the Red Sox, but it seems likely it was."
Whether it's to the Red Sox or another team, a lot of people would be surprised to see the Nationals move on from Lowe so quickly. After all, the 29-year-old 1B only arrived in the nation's capital in December after being acquired from the Texas Rangers in a trade that saw left-handed hurler Robert Garcia sent the other way.
Since donning a Nationals jersey, Lowe is slashing .223/.298/.397 with eight home runs, 34 RBIs, and 19 walks in 49 games (184 at-bats). He's also recording a higher percentage of HRs (3.9%) and walks (9.3%) compared to the MLB averages (3.2% and 8.5%, respectively), further highlighting run-hungry teams are potentially interested in his services.
The potential of Lowe trade likely stems from the Nationals being 22-27 and six games back of the National League's final playoff spot. If they don't have faith in a turnaround, it makes sense to move on from Lowe, whose worth his $10.7 million salary and is also arbitration-eligible for the 2026 season.
If he isn't expected to be a long-term fixture in Washington's lineup, it makes sense for Atlanta's NL East rival to move on from him sooner rather than later.
With trade rumors picking up around the Majors, Lowe's time with the Nationals could be over sooner rather than later. If that's the case, the Braves will likely have one less club to worry about as the division title race continues.
Speaking of which, FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Braves listed as having the third-best NL East odds (+380) as May winds down.
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