Eugenio Suarez isn’t just hitting at a high level this season: he’s obliterating baseballs. Which is why he’s on two shortlists right now – MVP candidates and tradeable players.
The Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star third baseman ranks in the 90th percentile of MLB in barrel percentage and 89th percentile in hard-hit percentage. That’s given him a National League-high with both 36 home runs and 86 RBIs, while boasting a .598 slugging percentage. A steady presence at the hot corner, he’s performed on playoff teams and can be a needle-mover for a contender.
Granted, part of the calculation in trading for Suarez is that he’s a free agent after this season. Which teams could then use a potentially high-usage rental player? Here are three potential destinations:
Eugenio Suarez leads the National League in both home runs and RBIs this season. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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The Yankees are solidified at eight of the nine spots in their everyday order. Third base is the one spot where a definitive upgrade could make a difference, and that could lead to New York making a move for Suarez.
Jazz Chisholm played third base last year, but the Yankees have been a revolving door at the position this year, partially due to injury (e.g. Oswaldo Cabrera). Suarez represents a clear-cut answer for the Yankees at the hot corner for the rest of the year and gives them somebody with overwhelming power to hit around Aaron Judge, who’s likely going to win his third American League MVP Award in four years.
While New York entered Wednesday’s MLB action first in on-base percentage (.334), slugging percentage (.454) and home runs (160), having Judge, who has been hitting at a level unseen since peak Barry Bonds over the last four years, plays a role in it being top of the sport in several power categories. Suarez gives them another bat that does major damage and subsequently gives them a better chance to run down the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. The Yankees could offer a trade package to the Diamondbacks centered around infielder Oswald Peraza and right-hander Chase Hampton, among other prospects, for Suarez.
So, why is a team that represented the AL in the 2024 World Series and has a need at third base not the No. 1 fit for Suarez? The answer is a question: how many times are the Yankees going to make a blockbuster trade for an impact player, let alone one that’s a free agent at the end of the year after the quantity of pitchers it traded for Juan Soto (namely, Michael King and Randy Vasquez), in particular, blew up in their face?
Plus, how much would acquiring Suarez close the gap between the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers or Houston Astros in the AL? It’s unrealistic to expect the Yankees to get back to the World Series in the wake of their starting rotation being ravaged by injuries (Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt).
Eugenio Suarez is a two-time All-Star. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Milwaukee is on a roll and tied with the Chicago Cubs for first place in the National League Central at 60-41. A weakness? The Brewers entered Wednesday 24th in MLB in home runs (96), and that’s the No. 1 area that Suarez would improve for their ballclub.
While Caleb Durbin has held his own at third base this season, the rookie infielder can also play second base and come off the bench throughout the rest of the season. Suarez would be an upgrade for the Brewers at third base, while becoming the most intimidating hitter in their order.
Moreover, Suarez would be a veteran offensive complement to a young positional core that’s headlined by Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Sal Frelick and Joey Ortiz. This is a franchise that prides itself on great pitching and great defense, but it has continually failed to win the NL pennant in recent memory due to its offense not having enough firepower. Suarez doesn’t match the Brewers’ offense up with the Los Angeles Dodgers or division-rival Cubs, but he certainly gives them a boost.
If you’re going to consistently be a 90-plus-win team and not spend big money, why not make impact moves with the intention of making a championship push? The 2015 Kansas City Royals are the perfect example of embracing this philosophy, as they had a small window with a deep core, acquired a pair of All-Stars in ace Johnny Cueto and infielder Ben Zobrist and went on to win the World Series that year. Even though Kansas City lost both players to free agency in the ensuing offseason, winning the title made it all worth it.
Milwaukee could center a Suarez trade package around one of infielders Mike Boeve and Luke Adams and 2024 second-rounder Bryce Meccage. The only factor that could stop the Brewers from pursuing a trade for Suarez, though, is them potentially feeling that if they’re going to step out of their comfort zone and make a trade for an impact bat (the last time the Brewers traded for an All-Star-caliber hitter was Willy Adames in 2021), it should be for a player who’s under contract for the foreseeable future.
Eugenio Suarez is in his second season with the Diamondbacks. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Seattle traded Suarez to Arizona in the 2023-24 MLB offseason, and it would greatly benefit from his return.
Since making the playoffs in 2022 and even dating back to the 2021 season, the Mariners have been competitive enough to be in the wild-card mix until the cows come home, but rarely is it enough for them to actually crack the October spectacle, let alone win the AL West. The No. 1 reason for their shortcomings is consistently a lack of offense. This season, Seattle’s lineup has been respectable, but it needs more to contend.
Suarez would take over at third base for Seattle, where he started for the Mariners from 2022-23. Furthermore, he’d give the heart of the Mariners’ order a second hitter who does considerable damage, taking pressure off Cal Raleigh to play hero. Rookie Ben Williamson has been respectable at third base, but the Mariners can’t expect to get to the playoffs and then make noise relying on internal growth. They need to make a splash and get proven, impact hitters like Suarez.
And if Julio Rodriguez gets hot late in the season or, say, J.P. Crawford or Dylan Moore starts to slug with more frequency, then Seattle has an even more balanced offense and arguably its best attack since 2022. Of course, this would complement a rotation that’s arguably the best in the AL, one that includes Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo and more.
Seattle could base a trade offer for Suarez around a combination of its young pitchers, including two or more of Brandyn Garcia, Michael Morales, Teddy McGraw and Ahston Izzi. The Mariners are 54-47, a current wild-card team and five games behind the Astros for first place in the AL West. If now isn’t the time to make a push, then when is?
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