Lowrie has struggled to stay healthy his entire career. Nagging wrist problems dogged him throughout 2009, and up until this week, he had missed all of the 2010 campaign while battling mononucleosis.
He hopes those issues are in the past, and apparently, the Red Sox feel they are, as they activated Lowrie before the series finale in Oakland.
Lowrie then proceeded to go 1-for-2 with an RBI, a run scored and a couple of walks – paying immediate dividends and giving Marco Scutaro a much-needed day off.
The return of Lowrie is significant for a few reasons. While it's often forgotten, there is a reason Lowrie was once a highly touted prospect. He's a solid player who's good defensively and can handle the bat. There was once a time when he was expected to be a double-play partner for Dustin Pedroia for a long time to come.
His inability to stay healthy has obviously tabled those talks, but Lowrie still has a chance to be a very good major league player. He may never be the player he was once projected to be, but it is far too early to label him as someone who will never be able to stay healthy.
Lowrie's return also brings a good amount of flexibility for the Red Sox. He's spent time in the majors at shortstop, second base, third base and he's expected to see some playing time at first base as well. His ability to fill in around the infield can't be overstated, especially when you consider the amount of time so many different Red Sox players have missed this year already.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre has been battling a nagging hamstring injury and Lowrie could give him a day or two off. Lowrie's ability to play first will also give Kevin Youkilis a day off on occasion, keeping him fresh.
If he's able to stay healthy, Lowrie could bring a lot to the table for the Red Sox down the stretch run.
Could he be the Red Sox' secret weapon?
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