BOSTON — When Nathaniel Lowe was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Thursday, he knew he’d likely have to decide on his new team in short order. Once he cleared waivers and was released, he was available to all teams for the prorated portion of the major league minimum. By Sunday, he was in Boston ahead of signing a contract with the Red Sox.

Lowe, who joined the roster Monday after his deal became official, saw an opportunity with the Red Sox, who will use him as their primary first baseman against right-handed pitchers and at 68-57, have a good chance to be playing in October.

“I’ve always enjoyed coming here as a visiting player,” Lowe said. “The gameday environment is so great and seeing this team win and being part of something like that is so attractive. There’s a need for first base and I’d like to think I can plug myself in and really contribute.

“It’s so exciting. Getting plugged into a lineup that’s having great success and is part of making a great postseason push is what it’s all about. It’s a true blessing to be here.”

Lowe was available in mid-August, of course, because of poor performance on a last-place Nationals team. When Washington acquired him in a December trade with Texas, the Nats hoped that Lowe — a former Gold Glover, Silver Slugger and World Series champion — would provide a stabilizing veteran force at an infield corner. Instead, the 30-year-old showed signs of regression on both sides of the ball and through 119 games, was hitting just .216 with 16 homers, 17 doubles and a .665 OPS.

“I’d like to have amnesia,” said Lowe, who is earning $10.3 million this season and can be retained for next year if he plays well down the stretch. “I’d like to wipe it from my memory because it hasn’t gone nearly as well as I’d like it to. There’s still some bright spots that I can look at and still hang my hat on, but there’s so much room for improvement and there’s so much time left for this team to do something special.

“I didn’t really know what to expect going into D.C. I didn’t make the most of that opportunity. The slash line is nowhere near where I want it to be.”

The Red Sox have gotten admirable contributions from the platoon of Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro at first base since Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee surgery in early May but the next-to-nothing cost of Lowe, mixed with Toro’s offensive struggles (he’s hitting just .199 with a .562 OPS in his last 50 games) led to the match. According to manager Alex Cora, Lowe will start at first base against righties with Gonzalez getting starts against lefties as the second baseman and Toro, a switch-hitter, continuing to get starts at first against southpaws. Lowe has the highest ceiling of the group as a player who, before 2025, had hit .274 with 78 homers, 299 RBIs and a .791 OPS over a four-season stretch in Texas.

“Left-handed hitter who has been there, done that,” Cora said. “He was part of the Rangers when they won. An up-and-down season for him with the Nationals.

“We talked a little bit about the Wall, what it means to lefties. He’s excited to be here. We’ll use him against righties, certain lefties, to pinch-hit late. We’ll maximize the roster.”

Lowe said he was impressed from afar when, as a member of the Nationals, he got to face the Red Sox during a three-game series at Nationals Park on Fourth of July weekend. Boston bludgeoned Washington to sweep that set, outscoring the Nats, 27-9.

“There’s veteran talent, there’s younger talent, there’s talent on both sides of the ball. It feels like the group has really bought in,” Lowe said. “Obviously, I was on the wrong side of a really lopsided series in July so it’s nice to join a team that spanked us the way they did for those three days.

Over the course of 162, you can trip yourself up. I need to get out of my own way and play my own brand of baseball. I feel like this park and this team allows me an opportunity to do that.”

The Red Sox also hope Lowe, who homered three times for the Rangers during their World Series run two years ago, can step up when the lights are brightest.

“It’s definitely a different animal,” Lowe said. “You throw your personal stats aside, and the only thing that matters is winning that day. Playing that brand of baseball down the stretch and obviously, in the postseason, is most important. It’s kind of addicting. The point of the whole thing is winning the whole thing.”

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