Washington D.C. - Newly acquired first baseman Nathaniel Lowe met with the media today for the first time since being traded to the Washington Nationals yesterday. The veteran infielder expressed excitement about joining a young core and contributing to their development.

"Now being a guy who can be a voice of reason in the clubhouse and can definitely help this younger core continue to develop is going to be a new challenge and it's going to be something exciting," Lowe stated.

Lowe talked about how he came to know that he was going traded to the Nationals by saying that "with the ads that we were making and I think the way that things were going overall through the winter, it felt like, uh, my role was going to get either reinforced or replaced. And then, you know, when you see the GM's phone pop up in the middle of winter, uh, that's kind of usually how that goes."

Lowe drew parallels to his early days with the Texas Rangers, a team that also underwent a rebuild. "The pieces may not all be there yet, but like, I was a part of a Texas team my first year. We were terrible and we didn't have the big names. You know, we, we had good players. We're a good, well, not a good Major League team by show of record, but to see it grow into what it grew into was so special and it feels like another opportunity to do something like that."

He emphasized the importance of self-belief for young players. "But until you believe in yourself... it makes the game really hard. So if I can help these guys realize what got them here is going to help them have great careers, then we're going to get the most out of every piece."

Lowe discussed his power potential at Nationals Park, particularly his ability to hit to the opposite field. 'I try not to overthink it,' he explained. "I believe a well-struck ball is a win for a hitter, regardless of where it goes. Ideally, I want to hit the ball in the air. I'm not going to be hitting many triples on the ground – I'm not that fast. So, when I make solid contact, I don't really care where it goes. If the pitch is inside, I'll focus on pulling it, but I'll always aim to hit the ball to the best part of the field."

When asked about the lessons he learned during his own development, Lowe highlighted the importance of consistent hard work. "When I came to Texas, there was a lot of work to do," he said, referring to his need to improve his defense.

Lowe also discussed his approach to hitting, emphasizing patience and plate discipline. "Obviously, you have to be ready early in the count, but there are certain times where the pitcher needs a break and you need to take a strike," he explained. "The idea is not to make any of them easy. So if you can work in at bat longer, see a couple more pitches, grind down a starter, get somebody tired. Then I think that controlling the count and being patient is a good way to go about that."

Reflecting on his recent Gold Glove award in 2023, Lowe stressed the importance of meticulous preparation and attention to detail. "Consistency and care is one thing," he said. "It was just I'm gonna take ground balls before spring training. I'm gonna show up and I'm gonna be in rhythm and we'll work it out. But Caring about tiny details matters."

Lowe's experience and leadership are expected to be valuable assets for the young Nationals as they continue their rebuild.

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