The Cleveland Guardians quietly completed a solid trade deadline, starting this weekend, when they got outfielder Blake Perkins and reliever Craig Yoho, and wrapping it up on Monday, when they welcomed pitcher Foster Griffin and slugger Jo Adell to the organization.
President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti, however, had another ace up his sleeve right before the 6:00 pm ET deadline. It was none other than lefty-hitting first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, acquired from the Cincinnati Reds.
“The Cleveland Guardians are acquiring Nathaniel Lowe in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, sources tell ESPN,” Jeff Passan said.
The Cleveland Guardians are acquiring Nathaniel Lowe in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026
According to The Athletic’s Zack Meisel, 19-year-old right-hander Alejandro Rivera will be going to the Reds in the deal in exchange for the 31-year-old Lowe.
Lowe effectively complicates the first base/designated hitter picture, since he is, like Kyle Manzardo, a lefty hitter who plays mostly in the cold corner. Unlike the Guardians’ slugger, however, Lowe has enjoyed a solid offensive season, slashing .266/.341/.480 with 17 doubles, 12 home runs, and a 120 wRC+ with Cincinnati.
The Guardians will have to make some decisions, but Lowe should be a plug-and-play option at either first base or the designated hitter spot against right-handed pitchers. Cleveland needed a consistent hitter with some pop for the middle of their lineup, and they got one on the cheap.
Lowe, effectively a rental who is making just $1.75 million in 2026, only cost the Guardians Rivera, who is a solid prospect but too far away from the majors to really affect their plans.
Rivera, an amateur free agent signing in 2024, wasn’t ranked among the Guardians’ top 30 prospects, but he had a nice 2025 in the Dominican Summer League before moving stateside in 2026.
He pitched 48 innings in the Complex League, with a solid 2.44 ERA and a 16/70 BB/K ratio. The Guardians then had him pitch in Single-A, where he made one start last week and allowed five runs in five frames.
Rivera is young and talented, but he is so far from the major leagues that his departure doesn’t really weaken a really solid Guardians system. In the end, Cleveland wound up getting a solid rental bat in exchange for the lottery ticket that is his future at this point.
NEXT: Guardians Acquire All-Star Pitcher To Bolster Rotation
