Nathaniel Lowe loses to Washington Nationals in final salary arbitration case of the year

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — First baseman Nathaniel Lowe lost to Washington on Saturday in the final salary arbitration case this year and will get the Nationals’ $10.3 million offer rather than his $11.1 million request, leaving teams with a winning record at 5-4.

Arbitrators John Woods, Walt De Treux and Janice Johnston made the decision one day after hearing arguments.

Lowe hit .265 with 16 homers and a career-high 89 RBIs last season for the Texas Rangers, who traded him to Washington on Dec. 22 for left-hander Robert Garcia.

Lowe had a $7.5 million salary last year and is eligible for arbitration again next offseason and for free agency after the 2026 World Series.

The nine decisions matched the fewest since teams went 5-4 in 2021. Players went 9-6 last year.

Teams have a 358-270 advantage since arbitration started in 1974.

Among 169 players eligible for arbitration after the tender deadline on Nov. 22, only 17 were headed to hearings following the Jan. 9 exchange of figures.

Clubs also defeated St. Louis outfielder/infielder Brendan Donovan ($2.85 million instead of $3.3 million), New York Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr. ($2.05 million instead of $2.5 million) and Pittsburgh pitchers Dennis Santana ($1.4 million instead of $2.1 million) and Johan Oviedo ($850,000 instead of $1.15 million).

Winners were Los Angeles Angels infielder Luis Rengifo ($5.95 million instead of $5.8 million), St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar ($2.95 million instead of $2.45 million), Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante ($2.1 million instead of $1,925,000) and Angels outfielder Mickey Moniak ($2 million instead of $1.5 million).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.