The hot stove season is heating up, people!

On Tuesday, the Red Sox announced that first baseman Nathaniel Lowe had been designated for assignment, making room on the 40-man roster for newly acquired Tampa Bay infielder Tristan Gray.

Gray was acquired by Boston via trade with the Rays, who received minor league pitcher Luis Guerrero from the Red Sox.

Here’s the official statement on all parties involved, sent out by the team on Tuesday afternoon:

“The Boston Red Sox today acquired infielder Tristan Gray from the Tampa Bay Rays, in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Luis Guerrero. To make room for Gray on the 40-man roster, Boston designated first baseman Nathaniel Lowe for assignment.

“Gray, 29, played in 30 games for the Rays during 2025, batting .231 (18-for-78) with five doubles, three home runs, and nine RBI while making nine starts at second base, seven at shortstop, three at third base, and one at first base. The left-handed hitter also played in 72 games for Triple-A Charlotte, hitting .270 (67-for-248) with an .805 OPS. Originally selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 13th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft, the Texas native has played in 47 career Major League games with the Rays (2023, 2025), Miami Marlins (2024), and Athletics (2024).

“Guerrero, 25, posted a 4.15 ERA (8 ER/17.1 IP) in 13 games for the Red Sox during 2025. The right-hander also recorded a 4.39 ERA (13 ER/26.2 IP) in 21 games with Triple-A Worcester. Selected by Boston in the 17th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft, the Dominican Republic native owns a 2.63 ERA (8 ER/27.1 IP) in 22 career Major League games, all with the Red Sox (2024-25).

“Lowe, 30, batted .280 (28-for-100) with a .790 OPS in 34 games with the Red Sox during 2025, making 26 starts at first base and one as the designated hitter. The left-handed hitter also hit .216 (95-for-440) in 119 games for the Washington Nationals. Selected by Tampa Bay in the 13th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, the Virginia native has batted .264 (796-for-3,018) in 839 career Major League games with the Rays (2019-20), Texas Rangers (2021-24), Nationals (2025), and Red Sox (2025).”

The midseason acquisition of Lowe during 2025 was an absolute steal for Boston. After the former World Series champion was DFA’d by the Nationals after the deadline, the Red Sox were able to sign Lowe and have him fill a hole they were unable to address at the trade deadline. And while Lowe wasn’t going to be mistaken for Albert Pujols at any point while wearing a Red Sox uniform, his .790 OPS was an important part of the offense down the stretch as they looked to clinch a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2021.

With that being said, Lowe's performance did not justify his expected salary increase through arbitration, which was projected to be around $13.5 million. This is why Lowe’s DFA’ing (I think I just made up a verb) is something the local media has speculated to be on the table for weeks leading up to Tuesday’s move.

Does this mean anything for fellow first baseman Triston Casas’ future with the team? Here’s what I wrote about the 25-year-old earlier today.

Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.