The newest member of the Cincinnati Reds is trying to make the most of his second opportunity with the team. Veteran slugger Eugenio Suarez signed a one-year deal with the club in free agency. Suarez says he's trying to keep his expectations at a realistic level.
“I'm here now to help this team. Not to be a super hero but to be my best version (of myself),” Suarez said, per The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Suarez is coming off a fantastic 2025 season, in which he hit 49 home runs. He played with both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners in 2025. He was also highly sought-after in free agency this offseason by several teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This is Suarez's second stint with the Reds. Team President Nick Krall was excited to get him back in Cincinnati.
“To bring a guy in that's a middle of the order bat, hit 49 homers, he's a great clubhouse guy and a great guy with your fans, you know what you're getting. It's really been something we weren't sure we were able to do. It was great we were able to get Geno,” Krall said, per Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith.
The Reds made the National League Playoffs in 2025, but lost in a Wild Card series.
Eugenio Suarez is ready to help the Reds
Suarez is excited to be back in Cincinnati. He played for the team previously from 2015-2021. Suarez posted two seasons in that period with more than 100 RBIs.
“It is perfect,” Suarez said Tuesday, per WLWT-TV. “That is why I am here. It is perfect. Excited and very happy to be back home.”
The veteran slugger will be tasked with leading the team's offense, along with Elly De La Cruz. Suarez is ready to take the reins with his new teammate.
“Whatever he needs for me, I will help him,” Suarez said. “Not only on the field, but off the field. It's not always about physically. It is about being mentally strong.”
Time will tell if the addition of Suarez can help the club win the NL Central in 2026.
