It was a long wait, but former Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez found a home this offseason. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that Suarez agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds.
Suarez, 34, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Diamondbacks. He experienced a bit of a career revival in Arizona, slugging 66 home runs in 264 games. His offense, plus his hyper-positive personality, made him a fan favorite.
After a slow market, the former Diamondback will reunite with an old team. Suarez played for the Reds from 2015 to 2022. He was named a National League All-Star for the first time in 2018, the first year of a seven-year extension. Incidentally enough, the next contract he’d agree to would be with the same club.
Eugenio Suarez’s Time with the Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks relied on the 38-year-old Evan Longoria through their 2023 postseason run. With an economic windfall from that run, Arizona picked up Suarez from the Seattle Mariners. He was coming off a down year in Seattle, so the cost was only reliever Carlos Vargas and catcher Seby Zavala.
Suarez’s first three months in Arizona were awful. Through June, he was hitting .192 with six home runs. While there was mounting pressure for the Diamondbacks to cut ties with the veteran third baseman, they ultimately stayed the course. That faith would be rewarded, as Suarez came to life in the second half of the season.
From July onward, the slugging third baseman went on an insane run. In his final 78 games, Suarez slashed .312/.357/.617 with 24 home runs. His offensive surge propelled a struggling Diamondbacks team back into contention, as they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot. He finished the year hitting .256 with 30 homers and 101 RBI.
That surge made the decision to exercise a $15 million club option a no-brainer. Suarez returned to the Diamondbacks in 2025 and picked up right where he left off. Through July, he hit .248 with 36 home runs and 87 RBI. That earned him his second career All-Star honors.
With the Diamondbacks spiraling out of contention, they traded off most of their expiring deals. Suarez was dealt back to the Seattle Mariners for Tyler Locklear, Hunter Cranton, and Juan Burgos. He finished his tenure in Arizona with a .259/.319/.513 slash, a 128 OPS+, and 6.4 bWAR.
For a combined cost of $21.3 million, it ended up being one of general manager Mike Hazen’s best trades.
Diamondbacks Third Base Outlook in 2026
The Diamondbacks brought in Blaze Alexander and Jordan Lawlar to fill the gap in Suarez’s absence. Alexander was a massive upgrade defensively, but had major holes in his offensive game. That led to general manager Mike Hazen targeting Nolan Arenado.
Arenado will get most of the opportunities at third base in 2026. However, with a 35-year-old in the twilight phase of a Hall of Fame career, depth is important. Alexander and Lawlar could play third base in a pinch, but will be asked to play more outfield. That could leave a slot open for a veteran option like Ildemaro Vargas.
The longer-term outlook will depend on LuJames Groover III and how he develops in Triple-A Reno. The former second-round selection is one of the best hitters in the Diamondbacks’ system. But he’s not a candidate to take over until the 2027 season at the earliest.
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