Suarez in Shocking $15M Deal with Reds – What This Means for the Future!

Eugenio Suarez is back in the fold with the Cincinnati Reds, but the terms of his return might leave some scratching their heads. The veteran slugger, 34, has inked a one-year pact worth $15 million, with a $16 million mutual option for 2026, according to the latest buzz. Now, that figure? It’s way below what most projected. After all, Suarez banged out 49 homers last season while splitting time between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. Experts like Ben Clemens were talking about a two-year, $50 million deal, and Kiley McDaniel threw out a two-year, $45 million offer estimate. So why settle for a deal that’s barely a third of those numbers? Here’s where it gets interesting: Suarez’s game has narrowed — his defensive skills at third base have waned, prompting the Reds to slot him primarily as a DH. His on-base percentage hovers in the doldrums, and striking out nearly every fourth at-bat has made teams wary. Yet, the power is still there, even if some doubt lingers after a subpar post-trade offensive showing in Seattle. Plus, Suarez’s career strikeout tally is flirting with a rare milestone: 2,000 Ks. That puts him in an exclusive club, one very few have reached. And then, there’s the tale of his journey — a baseball odyssey that’s seen him return to familiar places like Cincinnati, after stints with Seattle and Arizona, circling back to where it all got rolling. The story’s thick with intrigue, nostalgia, and statistical quirks — a tapestry rich enough to keep any baseball aficionado hooked. LEARN MORE

MLB Rumors: Eugenio Suarez and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a one year, $15 million deal with a $16 million mutual option for 2026, per reports.

I think it is fair to say that this is a much lighter deal than most were expecting. Suarez, 34, split the 2025 season between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners, and ended up accumulating 49 homers on the season. Ben Clemsns projected two years, $50 million for Suarez at Fangraphs, while Kiley McDaniel had him at 2 years, $45 million. Just $15 million for one year for a 49 homer guy from last year doesn’t seem to make sense.

There are some concerns, though, which would seem to help explain it. Suarez has become rather one-dimensional — his defense at third base has declined, and Cincinnati will be playing him primarily at a DH, per reports. He doesn’t get on base much, slashing .228/.298/.526, and strikes out a ton. Basically, his value is pretty much wrapped up in his home runs, and teams have long been leery of righthanded power hitters falling off the cliff. Suarez likely didn’t help himself with his .189/.255/.428 slash line for Seattle post-trade, though he did hit three home runs in the playoffs.

A couple of interesting things here, to me, anyway. Suarez has 1814 strikeouts in his career, which places him 26th all time, two behind Dave Kingman. However, given he struck out 196 times last year, and has averaged 190 Ks per season the last five years, if he plays every day, he has a good chance of cracking the 2000 K mark. Only 8 players have struck out at least 2000 times in their major league careers, though Paul Goldschmidt (1979) seems likely to reach 2000 Ks in 2026, assuming he plays, and Andrew McCutchen (1893) could get there as well if he lands somewhere he can play every day. He needs 189 to tie Andres Galarraga, who is currently 8th, and 158 to pass Justin Upton and reach the top 10.

The other interesting thing is that Suarez is seemingly coming full circle in his franchise travels. This is his second stint with the Reds, who traded him to Seattle in the spring of 2022. Seattle traded him to Arizona after the 2023 season, then re-acquired him last summer. To make it complete, after playing for the Reds this year, Suarez will need to join the Detroit Tigers, who signed him originally, and traded him to Cincy for Alfredo Simon in 2014.