Eugenio Suárez, probably the most highly effective bat left on the free-agent market, is in settlement with the Cincinnati Reds on a one-year, $15 million contract with a $16 mutual choice for a second season.
The deal, first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan early Sunday night, is pending a bodily.
It’s a homecoming for Suárez, 34, who spent seven years in Cincinnati following a debut season with the ’14 Detroit Tigers. He hit .253 with a .811 OPS and 189 residence runs for the ’15-21 Reds, and earned his first of two profession All-Star picks in ’18.
Splitting ’25 between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners, who reacquired him midseason after buying and selling him to Arizona in November ’23, Suárez hit .228 with a .824 OPS. He matched his career-high 49 residence runs, a mark he first reached with the ’19 Reds. His three postseason residence runs helped Seattle make their deepest postseason run since 2001, although they fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in Sport 7 of the ALCS.
The Crimson Sox, although linked to Suárez at occasions this offseason, weren’t a finalist to signal him, a supply instructed the Herald. Based on a number of experiences, the Crimson Sox by no means made him a proper provide.
Suárez, who spent the majority of his profession as a 3rd baseman, is predicted to serve primarily because the Reds’ designated hitter whereas additionally enjoying first and third. The Crimson Sox at present have Masataka Yoshida penciled in as their DH and commerce acquisition Willson Contreras at first base. Candidates for the opposite nook embody Marcelo Mayer and Romy Gonzalez.
The Crimson Sox have made 12 trades this offseason, most just lately Sunday’s salary-dump of Jordan Hicks to the Chicago White Sox. Their lone free-agent signing is star lefty Ranger Suárez, although chief baseball officer Craig Breslow listed an influence bat within the group’s prime wants and priorities eventually fall’s end-of-year press convention. Breslow and different membership officers have reiterated as a lot all through the offseason, whereas lacking out on prime free-agent hitters, together with Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), Pete Alonso (Orioles), Alex Bregman (Cubs), Bo Bichette (Mets), and now Suárez.
As spring coaching nears, nonetheless, the entrance workplace’s precedence has shifted from offense to protection.
