The Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract with free agent slugger Eugenio Suárez, reuniting the 34-year-old with his former team. The deal includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027 and is pending a physical. Suárez, who hit 49 home runs in 2025, returns to provide the power the Reds' offense lacked last season.
Eugenio Suárez, a fan favorite during his time with the Cincinnati Reds from 2015 to 2021, is set to return to the club that launched his career. During those seven seasons, he established himself as a prolific power hitter, including a career-high 49 home runs in 2019. Traded to the Seattle Mariners in spring training 2022 as part of a rebuild, Suárez spent time with Seattle before moving to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024. Last season, he split time between Arizona and Seattle, slashing .228/.298/.526 with 49 homers and 118 RBIs—his second 49-homer campaign.
Suárez excelled early with the Diamondbacks, hitting 36 home runs in 106 games for a .897 OPS before a July 31 trade to the Mariners, where he posted a .683 OPS in 53 regular-season games. He rebounded in the postseason, contributing eight hits in Seattle's final seven playoff games, including two homers and a go-ahead grand slam in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mariners fell short of the World Series, losing to Toronto.
The Reds, who finished 83-79 and secured the final NL Wild Card spot via tiebreaker over the New York Mets, struggled offensively: 90 OPS+ (26th in MLB), .706 OPS (tied for 19th), and 167 home runs (21st), led by Elly De La Cruz's 22. Suárez is expected to serve primarily as the designated hitter, with potential starts at first or third base, despite Ke'Bryan Hayes anchoring third and prospects like Spencer Steer and Sal Stewart vying for time.
Pittsburgh Pirates reportedly offered more money, but Suárez chose Cincinnati for personal reasons. "Cincinnati, they gave a lot to me and my family. I still have a part of my heart in Cincinnati," he said last season. The team previously pursued Kyle Schwarber, who re-signed with Philadelphia for five years and $150 million. This signing bolsters Cincinnati's lineup as they aim to build on their first full-season playoff appearance since 2013.
