Date of birth: 24 February 1974
Primary position: Third Baseman
Elected to Red Sox Hall of Fame: 2018
He was simply part of a trade that brought Josh Beckett to the Red Sox in 2006 as the Florida Marlins looked to dump salary, but Mike Lowell proved his worth over the next two seasons with Boston. In his first season, he made just six errors at third base in 153 games and went a stretch of 70 games mid-season in which he did not make an error in the field. He also raised his batting average nearly 50 points from the previous year as well as most of his numbers at the plate.
In 2007, his best season with the team, Lowell finished seventh in the American League in batting average (.324) and fifth in RBI (120), both career-best marks, while also hitting 21 home runs. He also finished high amongst Red Sox leaders in several categories. In the post-season that same year, Lowell batted .353 and finished with two home runs, 15 RBI, and a slugging percentage of .610. He posted a hit in all but two of Boston’s 14 post-season contests and was named World Series MVP, the second Red Sox player ever to receive that honor.
After the season, Lowell took fewer years and less money to stay with Boston, but knee injuries limited him to an average of 116 games per season between 2008 and 2009. Although he continued to put up respectable numbers at the plate, his range at third base quickly suffered. Off-season surgery limited him to just 73 games in 2010; after spending most of the year in a limited role as a bench player, the aging former All-Star officially retired from baseball at season’s end.
Career Batting Statistics through 2018 Season
| Season | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | SB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 573 | 79 | 163 | 20 | 80 | 47 | 2 | .284 |
| 2007 | 589 | 79 | 191 | 21 | 120 | 53 | 3 | .324 |
| 2008 | 419 | 58 | 115 | 17 | 73 | 38 | 2 | .274 |
| 2009 | 445 | 54 | 129 | 17 | 75 | 33 | 2 | .290 |
| 2010 | 218 | 23 | 52 | 5 | 26 | 23 | 0 | .239 |
| TOTAL | 2244 | 293 | 650 | 80 | 374 | 194 | 9 | .290 |
Awards and Recognition with Boston
World Series MVP Award, 2007
Memorable Moments for Mike Lowell
- 22 April 2007 - Manny Ramirez, J. D. Drew, Mike Lowell, and Jason Varitek hit four consecutive home runs in the third inning, the first time in Red Sox history this feat has occurred. All four home runs were off of 10 pitches from Yankees rookie Chase Wright, making just his second major league start. Boston eventually wins 7-6.
- 28 October 2007 - With a 4-3 win on the road in Colorado, the Red Sox complete a four-game sweep of the Rockies and capture the club's second World Series title in four years. Third baseman Mike Lowell is named series MVP.
- 3 August 2010 - Mike Lowell, in his first at-bat coming off the disabled list, hits a two-run home run over the Green Monster at Fenway Park on the first pitch as the Red Sox roll to a 3-1 win over the Indians.
- 2 October 2010 - Third baseman Mike Lowell, after being honored in a pre-game ceremony by the Red Sox, goes 2-for-2 with a walk, a double, a run scored, and two RBI before being lifted in the fifth inning of a 6-5 loss to the Yankees in the first game of a doubleheader. The 2007 World Series MVP had announced late in the season that this year would be his last in the majors.