Seattle Mariners Third Baseman Discusses Being Welcomed Back to Seattle

SEATTLE — In the hallway leading from the Seattle Mariners clubhouse to the team dugout at T-Mobile Park, there's a sign that says "Good Vibes Only" on the wall in bright neon letters.

That phrase was coined by third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who played for the Mariners from 2022-23 and helped the club snap its 21-year postseason drought in '22.

Seattle traded Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Nov. 22, 2023. Suarez made such an impact in his pair of seasons in the Pacific Northwest that the sign remained in the hallway.

"At the time, we were trying to manage maybe more of a restrictive payroll as we went into that offseason," Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a pregame news scrum Thursday. "And what we didn't know the day we traded Geno to Arizona was that we would later going to be able to make a deal with the (Atlanta Braves) that kind of answered our needs. If we had known that we had that deal in our back pocket, we might have done something different. ... One of my least favorite trades we ever did. I love Geno, we all do. ... If we could have called and asked for a re-do after the winter meetings and we when put together the deal with Atlanta, that would have been great."

The "Good Vibes Only" sign was waiting for Suarez on Thursday when he returned to the Mariners clubhouse. The team reacquired him from the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

"It means a lot. It makes it even more special," Suarez said in a pregame news conference Thursday. "When I see it on the wall, it says 'Good Vibes Only,' it's something that I always remember. That's Geno. Always happy, always trying to enjoy the game, enjoy what I do in it. I always say this is a gift. ... The trust in myself, trust in what I can do in it, have a good energy, have good vibes, never think (about) the bad moments in the end — that's what's (makes) my career more special."

Suarez reunited with many of his former teammates and introduced himself to new ones on the team's charter plane Wednesday that flew back from Sacramento. The flight was delayed for over 30 minutes to wait for him. Suarez greeted everyone on the flight.

Suarez was welcomed back by the fans Thursday with several ovations. One of the cheers he received from the crowd of over 28,000 was after he scored the first run in Seattle's 6-0 win over the Texas Rangers. Suarez finished the game 1-for-4 with a double and a run.

"Feels great to be back. All the ovation — multiple times — it was awesome," Suarez said after the game. "It was great. I feel the love and I appreciate that so much. That was a lot for me and wife and my daughters. It feels like I never left, which is good for me."