Josh Lowe was in the opening day lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays during the home opener at George M. Steinbrenner Field. His first plate appearance resulted in a ground out, but the Virginia native smacked his first hit of the season in the fifth inning. Unfortunately, Lowe knew something was wrong with his leg as he hobbled down the first base line. Lowe trudged into the dugout and everyone could see that the Rays would be dealing with their first injury crisis of the young season.
Here’s video of Josh Lowe’s injury, who felt something right as he swung and headed to first base. https://t.co/QbPJAL55rH pic.twitter.com/Sbck14i9Gd
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) March 28, 2025
Josh Lowe’s Injury
The injury was diagnosed as a Grade 2 right oblique strain. Lowe showed the Rays what they were missing when he returned for a series against the Toronto Blue Jays after missing nearly six weeks. He collected two hits with a home run in his first game back from injury. In the next series, he lined a double off former National League Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcantara and again reached base in the series finale. Overall, Lowe has batted .300 with a home run, six hits, and three runs.
Lowe’s defense and speed are also crucial elements to his overall game, and the 27-year-old demonstrated those talents during the following series in Miami. He recorded a beautiful outfield assist in the second inning of a scoreless game when his throw nabbed Miami’s Eric Wagaman. Pitching and defense are crucial for the Rays in order to succeed this season. Lowe’s defense hasn’t been nearly as good, as his -2 Outs Above Average placed him 88th among qualified outfielders in 2023. He is an overall -3 Outs Above Average defender in parts of five seasons at the MLB level.
Josh Lowe is an Important Presence for the Rays
Lowe adds a veteran presence to a clubhouse that skews on the younger end of the spectrum. You may remember watching his brother, Nathaniel Lowe. Nathaniel has bounced around the league and currently finds himself on the Washington Nationals. They played against each other in the 2023 AL Wild Card Series when the Texas Rangers defeated the Rays. Most importantly, the pronunciation of Josh’s last name is different from that of his teammate Brandon Lowe.
Lowe’s addition is significant because he can add offense to a club that has scored 182 runs, placing them in the bottom ten of baseball. The Rays have scored one run or less 14 times this season. The struggles with runners in scoring position can sometimes be difficult to watch. Lowe battled numerous injuries last season, including an oblique strain en route to playing 106 games. Lowe was still a 3.7 WAR player in 2023 due in large part to his value on the bases, stealing a career-high 32 bags. That combination of speed and defense will be extremely valuable for the Rays this season.
Moving Forward for Lowe and the Rays
Last season, the Rays struggled offensively when they squandered solid performances from their pitching staff. The Rays have shown the ability to battle back late in games recently. The offense may not have the same star power as the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they have plenty of complementary pieces that can carry the load as long as everyone stays healthy. Lowe is not currently eligible for arbitration and won’t be a free agent until 2029. The Rays may trade him before he reaches his peak financial value because they are always operating under the constraints of a shoestring budget. Lowe can make that decision more complicated if he continues to play well and the Rays continue winning.
Image credit: © Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
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