The Cincinnati Reds have made their free agency splash, signing slugger Eugenio Suarez to a one-year contract. Suarez spent seven years with the Reds from 2015-2022, smashing 189 homers in that span. After a great playoff run with the Seattle Mariners, there was not much of a market for Suarez. ESPN's Jeff Passan broke the news on Sunday.
“Slugger Eugenio Suárez and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a one-year, $15 million contract that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season, sources tell ESPN. The best bat left on the market goes to Cincinnati, where he's expected to get most of his at-bats at DH,” Passan reported.
Suarez was one of the eight third basemen with -5 Outs Above Average or worse last season. But with Ke'Bryan Hayes manning the hot corner, who had the highest OAA among third basemen, Suarez won't be asked to play there. He will likely be a designated hitter for the Reds, adding much-needed pop to their lineup.
Earlier in the offseason, the Reds offered Kyle Schwarber a lucrative five-year deal to be the designated hitter. As an Ohio native, Cincy's front office thought they could montize's Schwarber's arrival in the Queen City. But he returned to the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving the Reds without much pop in their lineup.
Suarez brings that power to their lineup, as he hit 49 homers last season between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Mariners. Great American Ballpark is one of the best ballparks for home-run hitting in the league, something Suarez benefited from his first time around.
The Reds made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2020, but did not win a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Improving their offense is the key to taking a step forward, which they have done with this move. Could there be more in the tank for the Reds this offseason?
