Diamondbacks Acquire Eugenio Suarez in Trade with Mariners
The Arizona Diamondbacks have filled their third base vacancy and added power to their lineup by acquiring Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Seattle Mariners.
Diamondbacks Acquire Eugenio Suarez
The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, filling their vacancy at third base and adding much-needed power to their lineup.
The Mariners received right-hander Carlos Vargas and veteran catcher Seby Zavala for Suarez, who has belted at least 21 home runs in each of the past seven full seasons.
The reigning National League champion Diamondbacks were in need of a third baseman when three-time All-Star Evan Longoria became a free agent this month. Longoria, 38, appeared in just 74 games during the regular season but started 16 of 17 games at the hot corner during Arizona's postseason run.
Stability at Third Base
"It adds a little bit of stability at that spot," Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said. "He's a guy we've liked for a long time."
Suarez, 32, will make just over $11 million in 2024 -- the final guaranteed year of a seven-year contract that also includes a $15 million club option for 2025. His 7.2 WAR over the past two seasons is ninth among all major league third basemen.
Suarez batted .232 with 22 homers and 96 RBIs but also struck out a league-leading 214 times this past season, his second with the Mariners. He was an All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds in 2018 and enjoyed his best season in the majors the following year, when he had a career-high 49 homers and 103 RBIs.
Improving the Lineup
Suarez, who has batted just .221 since 2020 and has led the AL in strikeouts in each of the past two seasons, will join a Diamondbacks lineup that finished tied for 10th in the NL this season with 166 homers.
Arizona ranked 26th in baseball in WAR by third basemen in 2023. Of the five players who played that position for Arizona last season, three are already off the roster -- Longoria is a free agent, Josh Rojas was traded to Seattle at the trade deadline, and Buddy Kennedy was lost on waivers to the St. Louis Cardinals. Jace Peterson and Emmanuel Rivera remain from the group and figure to fill reserve and/or platoon roles.
Vargas, 24, made five relief appearances during the regular season while Zavala, 30, is a .210 career hitter in parts of four seasons with the Diamondbacks and White Sox.
