White Sox could look to recently DFA’d veteran to be first baseman in 2025 and beyond

With the Chicago White Sox youth movement in full swing, there are many intriguing names in the starting lineup from 1-9.

Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas, and more, all represent pieces the White Sox are hopeful will be a large part of their future core.

There are, however, still a few positions without a definite answer, including first base.

The White Sox still need a first baseman

Coming into the season, the White Sox were hopeful that a step forward from Andrew Vaughn would finally turn him into the player they hoped he’d be when drafting him third overall back in 2019. Unfortunately, that ship has long sailed, and Vaughn seems to have finally figured things out in Milwaukee. 

Tim Elko got a shot after Vaughn's departure, and while he has flashed big power, making contact against big league pitching proved to be an issue. Jury is still out on if Elko will ever put it all together and replicate his Triple-A production in MLB.

With recently-acquired Curtis Mead making starts at first base this week, the White Sox have now had eight (8) different players start at the position, the most of any team in baseball.

There is no clear answer yet as the Sox move players around to see what works. On Thursday, a veteran option became surprisingly available, and it could be an interesting option to fill Chicago's needs in 2025 and 2026. 

Nathaniel Lowe gets DFA'd

The Nationals announced on Thursday that they had designated first baseman Nathaniel Lowe for assignment just one day after he hit his first career grand slam. 

Lowe, 30, was just acquired by the Nationals this past offseason after spending four seasons with the Texas Rangers.

It hasn’t been the kind of year we’re used to seeing from Lowe, who currently holds a career-low .665 OPS. But he was one of the more underrated players in baseball before his time in Washington, with an OPS of .749 or higher in every big league season prior to 2025. 

His 16 homers in 2025 are in line with his career norms, and would currently lead the White Sox, but his batting average has dipped from the normal .260-.270 range to just .216.

Lowe has always been a durable player, playing in at least 140 games in each of his four seasons with the Rangers. Lowe’s best season came in 2022, where he hit .302 with 27 homers, good for an .850 OPS. 

Nathaniel Lowe would fit with the White Sox

At 30 years old, there’s reason to believe there’s more left in the tank for Lowe, and he could provide a stabilizing force for a young White Sox lineup. Lowe is arbitration eligible for the 2026 season, so the White Sox could retain him next season as they look to add power to the lineup and supplement the young core.

It would be a fairly expensive investment, as claiming Lowe on waivers would saddle the White Sox with the remainder of his $10 million salary, but the White Sox have very little on their payroll, and it could be a way to jump the market at the position.

The White Sox have largely struggled against righties in 2025, and the left-handed Lowe has hit 14 of his 16 homers against right-handers this year. Lowe could easily DH if the Sox want to give Miguel Vargas or Curtis Mead reps at first base, as well. 

Adding Lowe to the mix could check off a big question mark for Chris Getz in the upcoming offseason, and if the White Sox are willing to spend a bit, I think it makes a ton of sense.

One way or another, the White Sox need to add power to their lineup, and first base is a pretty big question mark moving forward. Chris Getz has an opportunity to make a move earlier than expected and show Sox fans he’s serious about adding to this team. The ball is now in his court.