This story was excerpted from Kennedi Landry’s Rangers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

At the end of the 2022 season, Nathaniel Lowe sat by his locker after Game 162 in the Rangers’ clubhouse and evaluated his breakout season. For all the successes he had throughout the season, one thing especially stood out for him: hitting above .300. 

In 2022, he became the first qualified .300 hitter for the Rangers since Elvis Andrus (.302) and Adrián Beltré (.300) in 2016.

“It’s an art that’s kind of been thrown to the wayside, with batting average being devalued or whatever,” Lowe said. “To know that I had a full season in the Major Leagues, played as much as I could and I hit .300, it’s truly a blessing.”

That hard work especially paid off last week, when Lowe was named the 2022 American League Silver Slugger Award winner at first base. He joined Mark Teixeira as the only other Texas first baseman to win the award, slashing .302/.358/.492 with an .850 OPS (141 OPS+), 27 homers and 76 RBIs in 157 games this season.

Lowe, in his second year with the Rangers, ranked among the AL leaders in multiple offensive categories, including hits (fourth, 179), total bases (sixth, 292), batting average (seventh), slugging (eighth) and OPS (eighth), all of which were also team highs.

For Lowe, the outside recognition for his accolades didn’t matter as much, though. 

“As far as awards go for a superlative like this, [it doesn’t] really matter,” Lowe said. “My goal is for us to win enough baseball games to make the playoffs, win in the postseason and obviously win the World Series. Considering we fell so far short, personally, I didn't really get in my own head. I didn't really have an agenda to do anything for myself. Outside of some recognition from my superiors and as far as having a job next year goes, there wasn't really a true push for a superlative like this. But I obviously am not going to say no and I'm very happy to see this.”

The next question for Lowe becomes: How does he repeat his career season at the plate?

He recognizes it’s unlikely to have an exact replica of his season, but growing and evolving with the game is at the forefront of his mind each and every time as he tries to get better and help the club win baseball games.

“Repeating in baseball, it's so hard,” Lowe said. “I feel like just trying to stay the same is not good enough. The game will catch up to you and the game will expose you, so I think there are definitely offensive things that I feel like I could have done better. I need to help the team win more. So as far as the 'rinse, repeat' motto goes, like if the stats are to come out in a similar fashion next year, it'd be great, but what's truly important this winter is figuring out how I can help this team win more.”

None of that is to say that Lowe doesn’t have things to improve on going into 2023, specifically on the defensive end. Lowe ranked last in the Majors in outs above average (-11) at No. 36 among qualified first basemen and last in defensive runs saved (-9) at No. 18.

Lowe will acknowledge that that aspect of his game is nowhere near where it needs to be in order for the Rangers to be a truly competitive team.

“It’s making light of it, but I know I need to be better defensively,” Lowe said. “I know there are a handful of plays that I botched and I cost the team games. And I know that going forward and being a part of a true championship team, the game is going to have to be me with the glove. And that's something that I really need to put a focus on this winter.”