May 12, 2018; Detroit, MI, USA; Hat and glove of Seattle Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon (9) sits in dugout during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Mariners Predicted To Cut Ties With 42-HR All-Star At Season's End

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Seattle Mariners' working relationship with Eugenio Suárez has become fascinating to predict.

In March of 2022, the Mariners traded for Suárez. In November of 2023, they traded him away. And this July, they made another trade to re-acquire him from the Arizona Diamondbacks after a phenomenal first half of the season.

Suárez's second stint with the Mariners isn't off to a roaring start, as his OPS sits at .696 through 29 games since the trade. With the playoff race tightening, there's a lot left to be decided. But the question remains: will Suárez be back in Seattle for 2026?

Bleacher Report predicts Mariners will let Suárez walk

On Tuesday, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly predicted that Seattle would once again decide to move on from Suárez at the end of a season. In a "stay or go" article involving the top impending free agent on teach team, Kelly predicted that Suárez would sign elsewhere.

"Suárez was an NL MVP candidate with the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting .36 home runs and posting an .897 OPS in 106 games," Kelly wrote. "Since being traded back to the Mariners, though, Suárez is hitting .188 with six home runs and a .665 OPS (entering Monday)."

"He may very well like Seattle, but he's produced significantly worse over two stints as a Mariner than he did with the Diamondbacks or Cincinnati Reds. So Suárez will try to help the Mariners win their first World Series this year, before looking for greener hitting pastures in the winter."

Indeed, Suárez owns a career .746 OPS in parts of three seasons with the Mariners. That figure is .811 with Cincinnati and .832 with Arizona. But there also aren't a lot of hitters who have shown the ability to hist 42 home runs by early September that are about to hit the market.

Adding to the intrigue, next season will be Suárez's age-34 campaign, and his defense at third base has long been suspect. Will he wind up a full-time designated hitter somewhere? And might Seattle believe that role to be the best way to get his maximum production?

More MLB: Blue Jays Predicted To Re-Sign $182 Million Two-Time All-Star After Season

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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