Monday newsletter time: Nate Lowe explains what many Rangers players wanted (and received) in new manager

(AP photo/Colin E. Braley)

Nate Lowe won the Silver Slugger for American League first basemen last week, the individual grand prize for his breakthrough season.

He has established himself as the Rangers’ first baseman, though the challenge now is replicating or at least coming close to his 2022 production. He’s also permitted to improve upon a .302 average, 27 home runs and an .851 OPS.

Who says he can’t?

But of all Lowe said Thursday night after winning the Silver Slugger, his comments on manager Bruce Bochy offered some insight as to what players wanted. They wanted a manager with pedigree.

“Anybody’s whose got three rings obviously has a clue what they’re doing as far as winning at the major-league level goes,” Lowe said. “It’s nice to have somebody in the manager’s spot that knows what it takes to win a World Series. He’s going to bring everything he can going forward, and we’re just going to get better. There’s no other option.”

Lowe wants to improve, especially defensively. He’s seen the numbers, and they aren’t flattering. It’s not just errors that bug him and hurt the team, but the plays he doesn’t make that other first basemen do.

“I know there are a handful of plays that I botched and I cost the team some games,” said Lowe, who was also voted by the media as Rangers Player of the Year. “I know that going forward and being a part of a true championship team, the game is going to ask more of me with the glove.”

That’s a frank assessment, and that’s the best place for Lowe to start.

Pitching developments

A few things popped up over the past few days involving starting pitchers who might be of interest this offseason to the Rangers.

•The Red Sox reportedly offered right-hander Nathan Eovaldi a contract extension, though the terms of the contract aren’t known. He hasn’t accepted it and a deal isn’t imminent. The Rangers like Eovaldi, and MLB Trade Rumors predicts that he would receive only  a two-year contract. Why not just use that money to keep Martin Perez?

• Chris Antonetti, the Guardians’ president of baseball operations, told MLB Network Radio that former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber will be a part of the Cleveland rotation next season in yet another push for the World Series. A popular opinion nationally this offseason is that Beiber would be made available in trade, and he’s the kind of top-of-the-rotation arm the Rangers would want to add. They certainly have the prospects to acquire a Bieber-esque pitcher, and Antonetti might have just upped the price.

• The Rangers have interest in the latest big-name pitcher from Japan, Kodai Senga, but just about every expected offseason spender does, too. The Giants are the latest. They could potentially be losing left-hander Carlos Rodon, maybe to the Rangers. The Dodgers, who could lose lefty Tyler Anderson and are watching the clock near 0:00 with Clayton Kershaw, are also interested.

• Speaking of Kershaw, he’s reportedly on the verge of re-signing with the Dodgers for around $20 million. He’s still very good when he’s healthy, and no one knows how to manage him better than the Dodgers. Legacy is still a big deal for him, and so is winning. The Dodgers give him a better chance at that than the Rangers.

ICYMI …

To kick off the first cold weekend of the fall, yours truly and John Moore played Friday in the NextStep Recruiting annual golf torunament. It was freezing, windy and soggy, though the rain had stopped falling before anyone teed off. It was also Mrs. Wilson’s 40th birthday, which we celebrated Saturday night. The family had another birthday to celebrate Sunday. Rangers Today didn’t slow down much. Here’s our latest content, in case you missed it.

The Sunday Read: Rangers offseason predictions

Friday on the Farm: Rule 5 protection

T.R.’s Memoirs: Rangers free-agent history. Part I, Part II

Texas Rangers Baseball Podcast: Rangers radio’s Jared Sandler

Subscribe to Rangers Today Baseball Podcast YouTube channel: It’s free!

Doggy video!

Weekend mood? Sure. Cold-weather mode? Definitely. Enjoy.

Weekend mood.. 😅 pic.twitter.com/O4L7ymF2S2

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) November 12, 2022

Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com