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Mother of Josh, Nathaniel Lowe won't watch sons face off in Rangers-Rays series while getting treatment for brain cancer

Jason Owens
Staff writer
·3 min read
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Josh, left, and Nathaniel Lowe are playing each other in this postseason's wild-card round. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Josh, left, and Nathaniel Lowe are playing each other in this postseason's wild-card round. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Josh and Nathaniel Lowe are living out a boyhood dream, as brothers facing off in the MLB playoffs.

Sadly, their mother, Wendy, won't be able to watch them do so in person. Josh, a right fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays, told reporters Monday that Wendy is undergoing treatment for brain cancer and will be unable to attend the wild-card games between the Rays and Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

"I called my mom today and asked her if I could let you guys know about this," Josh said. "She's actually battling cancer, so she's going through chemo right now. She won't be able to make it.

"I asked her if it's OK if I said something. She said yes because the more people that know, the more prayers can be had for her."

Wendy, 56, has seen her sons face off before. She showed up for their first MLB matchup in June, also at Tropicana Field, and wore a jersey split down the middle featuring the Rangers and Rays with "Lowe" emblazoned on the front and back.

Nathaniel is a fifth-year MLB first baseman playing his third season with the Rangers. Josh is playing his first season as a full-time starter in Tampa after playing in 52 games with the Rays in 2022. They both came up in the Rays' minor-league system. Nathaniel played two seasons in Tampa before a trade to the Rangers in December 2020.

Nathaniel also spoke about his mom's condition in a Monday interview with the Dallas Morning News.

“Chemo, radiation and doctors’ appointments get in the way of her coming to the game,” he said. “Objectively speaking, that’s just what it is. It’s a lot. It’s the only way I know how to say it. A lot.”

The News reports that Wendy experienced symptoms during the June game between the Rangers and Rays. Per the report, she and her husband, Dave, hosted nearly 100 friends and family members in a suite, and she passed out during the game. At the time, her family chalked it up to being overwhelmed by the events of the day.

But she had a seizure while driving two weeks later. She was able to stop the car but ended up hospitalized, setting off a series of medical evaluations. The Mayo Clinic eventually delivered her diagnosis of brain cancer.

Josh and Nathaniel didn't offer further details of her condition beyond her diagnosis and treatment plan. The Rays and Rangers started their series Tuesday, with the Rangers securing a 4-0 win. The winner of the best-of-three series advances to face the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS.