(Norm Hall via Getty Images)
One of the game’s most powerful bats is on the move.
The Arizona Diamondbacks traded slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. In return, the Diamondbacks will receive first baseman Tyler Locklear and a pair of pitching prospects, according to MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer.
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Suárez, 34, is in the midst of his best season in the majors. Entering the All-Star break, he was hitting .250/.320/.569 with 31 home runs. Only three other players — Cal Raleigh, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — had that many home runs at the midway point of the season. Suárez is up to 36 now, which is the most by any player prior to a midseason trade, according to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs. The previous record was set by Mark McGwire, who hit 34 homers before he was dealt in 1997.
Despite taking a fastball off his hand in the All-Star Game, Suárez began the second half on a tear, smashing four home runs in his first three games out of the break.
Power has always been Suárez’s calling card. He developed into one of the game’s premier power bats early in his career with the Cincinnati Reds. After some modest seasons early on, he took a major step forward in 2017, posting an OPS over .800 for the first time in his career. He followed that with two excellent seasons in which he hit a combined .277/.362/.550 and 83 home runs. He made his first All-Star team in 2018 and received down-ballot MVP votes.
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At that point, his numbers cratered. While Suárez held on to his excellent power, his average declined. He hit just .199 over his final two seasons with the Reds before he was traded to the Mariners ahead of the 2022 season.
His batting average recovered slightly in Seattle, but he looked to be a player in decline in 2023, when he posted a slugging percentage under .400 for the first time since his rookie season. Suárez was then traded to Arizona ahead of the 2024 season.
Things in Arizona didn’t start out well for the veteran. Suárez hit just .216/.302/.366 during the first half of 2024. Given his previous decline and his age, it looked like he might play his way out of a starting role.
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But something clicked in the second half. Suárez exploded to hit .307/.341/.602 with 20 home runs down the stretch. With that, he not only saved his season but also convinced the Diamondbacks to pick up a $15 million team option for the 2025 season.
This year, Suárez picked up where he left off after his second-half surge in 2024, making his second All-Star team this season. He’ll bring his immense pop and presumably a few more down-ballot MVP votes back to the Mariners in pursuit of his first World Series title.
Barring an extension, Suárez will hit the free-agent market at the end of the season. As such, he’s merely a rental for the Mariners, but it’s looking like he’ll play his way into another strong contract, especially if he produces at anywhere near his first-half pace in Seattle.
