Eugenio Suárez and the Reds Reunite: Full Fit Analysis

Why the “Cheap” Contract?

On the surface, it is a bit difficult to understand how he ended up with a one-year deal at just $15 million. However, a quick glance can explain the hesitancy in signing him to a long-term deal or committing a big chunk of money to him.

First of all, Suárez strikes out at an extremely high rate and has always done so. He has led the league in strikeouts three separate times.

189 SO – 2019

196 SO – 2022

214 SO – 2023

With 196 strikeouts in 2025, he didn’t lead the league, but he was at the top. His strikeout rate is almost always around 30%, which is obviously extremely high, and many teams are starting to turn against the three true outcome style of hitting. We saw how quickly it was for Suárez’s production to plummet as soon as the ball wasn’t leaving the yard every other game.

The truth is, when Suárez isn’t hitting home runs or doubles, he is essentially not producing much since he punches out so much.

Chasing and swinging, and missing contribute to strikeouts, and Suarez does both of them as well. In 2025, he had a 31.0 Chase% (30th percentile) and a 33.3 Whiff% (4th percentile).

Defense has been a point of emphasis in his game, too, as it regressed in 2025 after years of being above average.

Suárez’s Positional Fit

Positionally, Suárez is a primary third baseman. However, with Ke’Bryan Hayes being a Gold Glover and under contract for years to come, Suárez will have to move elsewhere.

First base seems like the top prospect, Sal Stewart’s position for 2026, which is the only other position that suits Suárez. This means that Suárez will receive the bulk of his at-bats as a designated hitter. He will likely fill in at first base here or there or cover third base if Hayes ever goes down with an injury.

Being a full-time DH is not for everybody, as some aren’t used to sitting for half an hour in between plate appearances. For Suárez, this will be his first time being a full-time DH, which is risky because of the possible adjustment period, but can also be helpful. He is 34 years old, and his defense has regressed already. Being a full-time DH will allow him to rest up and be as fresh as possible while also playing every day.

Reasons For Suárez’s Struggles

It’s obvious that Suárez did not perform well down the stretch for the Mariners, but there are plenty of factors that can explain the struggles. T-Mobile Park is one of the most difficult ballparks in MLB to hit in due to the large outfield and low elevation. Many players from past to present have expressed their frustrations when hitting there, stating that the balls seem to die right at or around the fence, no matter the quality of contact.

A 53-game sample is also a small one when assessing a player’s true abilities, and it would be easy to assume that his production on the season was somewhere between his 142 OPS+ from the first half and his 94 OPS+ from the second half. It is also a difficult adjustment when getting traded in the middle of the season, even if he has had prior experience with Seattle.

Suárez’s Perfect Fit With the Reds

With all the previous negativity and doubt comes the other side of the coin, one that is much more fun to discuss. Suárez is a slugger who has a prior connection to Cincinnati, is a fan favorite, plays every day, and is a great locker room guy.

Obviously, some parts of the sentence are immeasurable intangible, but we have seen what a bad locker room can do to a team. This Reds group is relatively young and barely has any postseason experience, something that Suarez can bring.

In Cincinnati, Suárez will play in one of the more hitter-friendly ballparks home runs-wise, which just so happens to be his specialty. The Reds are a team lacking offense, especially in the power department, as Elly De La Cruz’s 22 homers led the team. You can essentially book Suarez for 30 to 35 home runs in 2026, barring injury.

This transitions into another elite trait of his, which is availability. Here are his games played every season of his career:

2014: 85

2015: 97

2016: 159

2017: 156

2018: 143

2019: 159

2020: 57 (60-game season)

2021: 145

2022: 150

2023: 162

2024: 158

2025: 159

A guy who is good in the locker room, good at the plate, reliable, and a fan favorite is incredible for $15 million. There is a famous saying that there’s no such thing as a bad one-year deal. If Suárez struggles as he did in the second half of 2025, the Reds can simply let him walk or re-sign him at a lower price.