Nathaniel Lowe's rehab stint giving Rangers hope for faster return?

One key piece of the Texas Rangers has been missing from the lineup to begin the season.

Nathaniel Lowe has been out with a right oblique strain since training camp. This past weekend, he was assigned to the Frisco RoughRiders for a rehab assignment. Fans from all over the DFW Metroplex showed up at Dr. Pepper Ballpark to root for one of their favorite players in the organization.

The Corpus Christi Hooks even had a big-name player rehab as well. But how Lowe did in Frisco this past weekend?

Nathaniel Lowe injury rehab assignment: When is Rangers return?

Lowe did well this past weekend with the RoughRiders. He finished his rehab assignment with four runs, one hit, one home run, and three RBI. While his stats were underwhelming, fans must realize this assignment was trying to get him some at-bats so he's up to speed when he re-joins the Rangers. He was working the count against pitchers and had some long at-bats.

Lowe seems ready to re-join the Rangers and their offense that's in a slump right now.

On Friday afternoon, it was announced Justin Verlander would start Saturday's game for the Corpus Christi Hooks against the RoughRiders. Verlander gave up seven hits and five earned runs during his start, as Frisco roughed him up early and chased him from the game after 77 pitches. You could tell it was Verlander's first game of the year with pitching location issues. Lowe wasn't able to do any damage with Verlander on the mound, though.

Lowe will continue to rehab over the next 2-3 weeks and might have a stint in Triple-A as well. If there are any issues at first base, that timeline could be changed. The Rangers miss his presence in the lineup, and adding a gold glove winner at first base will boost the team's morale as injuries continue to piled up.

Hopefully, his return to the lineup soon will spark a winning streak or a semblance of consistency.