How Eugenio Suárez Changes the Cincinnati Reds’ Projected Lineup

CINCINNATI – The Reds signed Eugenio Suárez on Sunday, bringing the slugger back to where he has spent the majority of his career. With Opening Day only a few weeks away, this is how I see the lineup shaping up.

Top of the Order

1. TJ Friedl - Center Field
2. Noelvi Marte - Right Field
3. Elly De La Cruz - Shortstop

TJ Friedl has been a consistent leadoff presence since his debut in 2022. He has played 255 games in that spot. For his career, he has a .339 on-base percentage and a .712 OPS. In 2025, he returned closer to his 2023 form after dealing with injuries in '24. He slashed .261/.364/.378 in 152 games, the most of his career to this point. He provides excellent defense and is the ninth-best center fielder according to MLB.com

Marte put together a solid season in 2025 after an atrocious campaign in 2024. Once he moved to right field, he slashed .261/.288/.424. The 24-year-old looks to build upon his rebound season and potentially break out to become a staple at the top of the order. 

Elly De La Cruz was on pace to hit 35 or more home runs through the first half of the campaign. A quad injury put an end to his spectacular start to the season, where we saw him hit 18 home runs, slug .495, and steal 25 bases. He slugged just .303 with four home runs in the second half. If fully healthy, I expect another exemplary season from the superstar shortstop that may see MVP considerations. 

Middle of the Order

4. Eugenio Suarez - DH
5. Spencer Steer - Left Field
6. Sal Stewart - First Base

The addition of Eugenio Suarez gives the Reds the power they have been searching for since he was traded away in 2022. He also gives much-needed protection to Elly De La Cruz in the lineup. Suarez hit four home runs in a game in April and had a consecutive multi-home run game in July. 189 of his 325 home runs came with the Reds; he will certainly add to that total this season.

Spencer Steer is a solid power threat as well, hitting 21 home runs in 2025. Steer also provides flexibility on defense, being able to play multiple infield positions and left field. In 2024, he had 92 RBIs, and with the potential of the players ahead of him in the lineup, he could be a threat to reach the century mark for the first time. 

Sal Stewart put in the work this offseason, losing a reported 26 pounds. He has been working out at first base and third base, while also being an option at second base. Stewart hit five home runs in his first month with the Reds. The 22-year-old appeared in 18 games for Cincinnati last season, slashing .255/.293/.545 with six extra-base hits, including five home runs. He is considered a serious threat to win Rookie of the Year this season.

Bottom of the Order

7. Tyler Stephenson - Catcher
8. Matt McLain - Second Base
9. Ke'Bryan Hayes - Third Base

Tyler Stephenson is currently in a contract year. He is in the midst of an arbitration battle with the team, and there have been no talks of any long-term extensions. He hit 13 home runs last season but had his second-worst season in terms of OPS at .737. The 29-year-old has shown some improvement defensively and will be a nice option at the seventh spot in the lineup.

If Matt McLain can return to close to his performance of his rookie year in 2023, he won't be batting eighth for long. The 26-year-old provides excellent defense at second base and has pop in his bat. Even with the struggles offensively last season, he still hit 15 home runs. With another year behind him from his shoulder surgery that caused him to miss 2024, I expect a rebound from him in 2026.

If Ke'Bryan Hayes can become a league-average hitter, his value as a player skyrockets. The 2025 Gold Glove winner is sensational at third base defensively. In 2023, he had a 103 OPS+ with a career-best .271 average and 15 home runs. Hayes has typically been a below-league-average hitter for his career. Before he was traded to Cincinnati, Hayes had a 59 OPS+ with Pittsburgh. He finished the year with a 78 OPS+. Nothing that jumps off the page, but an improvement nonetheless. 

Adding Eugenio Suarez not only changes how the fans feel about the team and the offseason, it changes the approach teams are going to have with a player that has 50 home run power.