Cincinnati Reds add needed power bat in Eugenio Suarez

Third baseman Eugenio Suarez played seven years with the Cincinnati Reds. He will reportedly return for at least another year.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports this that the Reds and Suarez have agreed to a one-year contract worth $15 million. There is also a mutual option for the 2027 season.

One of the best power hitters in the sport, Suarez had another solid year in 2025. He posted a batting line of .228/.298/.526 in his 657 plate appearances between the Diamondbacks and Mariners, tying his career-high with 49 home runs. Suarez blasted his way into the history books in 2025 when he became the 19th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a single game.

Eugenio Suarez adds another power threat to the dangerous Cincinnati Reds roster

Suarez was initially acquired by the Reds as part of the trade that sent pitcher Alfredo Simon to Detroit during the 2014-15 offseason. He had some of his best seasons in Cincinnati, as he was an All-Star in 2018 and earned MVP votes in 2018 and 2019. Suarez had a batting line of .253/.335/.476 in his 3,730 plate appearances with the Reds, hitting 189 home runs and 144 doubles.

Suarez was traded to the Mariners during spring training in 2022 and spent two seasons in Seattle before being acquired by the Diamondbacks. The Reds were among the interested teams in Suarez at the 2025 trade deadline before returning to Seattle. With Suarez stuck in free agency, the Reds could get the power bat they needed.

The Reds slipped into the postseason as the final wild-card team thanks to a solid pitching staff led by Andrew Abbott, Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo. Their lineup sorely lacked a true power hitter, as the Reds ranked 19th in the majors with a .706 OPS and 21st with 167 home runs. That lack of firepower was a focal point this offseason, as the Reds had tried to lure designated hitter/outfielder Kyle Schwarber to Cincinnati before he returned to the Phillies.

Suarez, who is expected to be used primarily as the Reds’ designated hitter, gives the Reds that kind of game-changing bat. His presence, along with star shortstop Elly De La Cruz and promising corner infielder Sal Stewart, should be a decided upgrade for a Reds team looking to compete again in 2026.