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Ranking Mariners 3B Eugenio Suárez's Top 7 Landing Spots Amid Latest MLB Rumors
Even after Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette recently joined new teams in free agency, one of the league's best middle-of-the-order hitters remains available on the open market.
Eugenio Suárez is coming off of the second 49-homer campaign of his career, having posted an .824 OPS in a season split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners.
Suárez is 34 years old, but his age likely will limit him to a shorter contract without opt outs. Additionally, because he was traded during the 2025 season, he was ineligible to receive the qualifying offer, which means any team signing him wouldn't have to give up draft-pick compensation.
As spring training nears, here are the best landing spots for one of the top remaining bats in free agency.
7. Detroit Tigers
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There hasn't been much buzz about the Tigers and Suárez this offseason, likely due in part to the fact that Gleyber Torres accepted Detroit's one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer.
But before he was dealt back to the Mariners last winter, Suárez was a rumored target of the Tigers, the team he debuted with in 2014. The slugging third baseman told Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that "it would mean a lot to me," when asked about the possibility of returning to the Tigers.
Torres taking the QO might mean the Tigers are out on a player like Suárez, whom B/R projected to land a two-year, $43 million deal in November. However, Detroit still has uncertainty at the hot corner. Jace Jung has flopped thus far, while Colt Keith is really only an option to play against right-handed pitchers.
It will be interesting to see if in two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal's contract year owner Christopher Ilitch will authorize his front office to spend a bit more to land a player like Suárez. Certainly, the late Mike Ilitch would have.
6. Cincinnati Reds
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The Reds missed out on signing hometown slugger Kyle Schwarber, who ultimately went back to the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million contract in December. That hasn't changed the need for a middle-of-the-order veteran.
Perhaps then, the Reds could circle back to Suárez, who hit 189 home runs as a member of their team from 2015-2021. He could help them to return to the postseason for a second year in a row, and once again playing his home games at Great American Ball Park would allow Suárez—who is currently sitting on 325 homers—to run up his career totals.
The biggest issue is that the Reds acquired Ke'Bryan Hayes from the Pittsburgh Pirates last July. For all of his offensive shortcomings, Hayes might be the best overall defender in baseball, as evidenced by his MLB-best 95 defensive runs saved he has since entering the league in 2020.
To land Suárez, the Reds would have to convince him to move off of third base. There's definitely a case to be made that Suárez would be more valuable at first base and/or DH, especially considering he posted minus-six defensive runs saved and minus-three outs above average at the hot corner last year.
But Suárez is a prideful player, and if multiple other teams are willing to let him continue playing third base, he might not be inclined to switch positions to return to Cincinnati.
5. Athletics
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According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the A's and St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a trade for third baseman Nolan Arenado, but the veteran third baseman, who had a no-trade clause, "indicated he would not necessarily approve a trade to the A's." Instead, Arenado was dealt to the Diamondbacks.
Let's face it, as long as the Athletics are playing their home games at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento—a Triple-A stadium—they are going to have a difficult time attracting veterans with other options.
Still, it's interesting to think about Suárez as a fit for the A's because they were willing to commit to a pair of seasons with Arenado.
While Arenado is a more accomplished player overall, Suárez is a better player at this stage, and it may only take a two-year deal to sign him. Can you imagine how good the lineup in Sacramento would be if Suárez joined forces with Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson?
Alas, to get Suárez, the A's would likely have to include hazard pay to get him to agree to play 81 times a year at a Triple-A park that doesn't have the same amenities as most MLB stadiums. Plus, they would still be down bad with their pitching. Nonetheless, it's fun to think about.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Pirates were long rumored as a contender for Japanese corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto, but he wound up signing a four-year, $60 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays instead.
Pittsburgh did add All-Star DH/first baseman Ryan O'Hearn already this offseason on a two-year, $29 million deal. That alone, though, isn't enough to transform a lineup that finished dead-last in runs scored a year ago into a playoff contender.
Even adding Suárez may not be enough, but it would at least represent making an effort to not waste reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes' likely waning time with the team. Don't underestimate how important it is for owners like Bob Nutting to give off the illusion they are trying their hardest a year before a labor battle.
Suárez would also help to replace the veteran presence of Andrew McCutchen, assuming he isn't brought back for the 2026 season.
3. Seattle Mariners
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On one hand, Suárez's offensive numbers fell off a cliff after he was traded from Arizona to Seattle, and "Geno" has hit just .211 with a .717 OPS at T-Mobile Park in his career.
On the other hand, there's clearly a mutual respect between Suárez and the Mariners, with the organization not closing the door on a potential return to date.
The most likely scenario is that after his second stint with the M's, Suárez opts to sign in greener hitting pastures. But as more seats fill up and the music starts to slow down, perhaps him returning to the Mariners is more a realistic idea than we've given it credit for.
After coming within a game of their first World Series appearance, Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners have been uncharacteristically quiet this offseason. Yes, they did re-sign Josh Naylor to the tune of five years and $92.5 million. But their offense does get thin after the trio of Naylor, Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez. Seattle lost Jorge Polanco in free agency, and Randy Arozarena is entering a contract year.
With all due respect, their lineup would look a lot better with Suárez at third base on Opening Day than Ben Williamson.
Again, it's probably still an uphill battle for the Mariners to bring back Suárez, but it's not impossible.
2. Boston Red Sox
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After giving Ranger Suárez a five-year, $130 million deal, the Red Sox might be more inclined to trade from their starting pitching depth to fill third base, or just to give 23-year-old Marcelo Mayer extended runway at the hot corner.
However, at the beginning of the offseason, the debate surrounding the Red Sox was whether they would be better off letting Alex Bregman walk and signing a middle-of-the-order power bat like Kyle Schwarber or Pete Alonso. Now that all three have signed elsewhere, an otherwise strong lineup feels like it's lacking a cleanup hitter.
Suárez would fit the bill for the Red Sox, taking over as their third baseman and providing elite power production for a relatively short commitment. He feels like someone who would make a killing hitting at Fenway Park, and indeed he has four homers and 14 RBI in just 10 career games in Boston.
If the Red Sox add Suárez to a lineup with Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras, they'll be a trendy World Series pick.
1. Los Angeles Angels
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Anthony Rendon's playing career is officially, mercifully, over. And if the Angels don't turn things around in a rather drastic way in 2026, general manager Perry Minasian and new manager Kurt Suzuki—who was only given a one-year deal—might be out in Anaheim next offseason.
Given those two factors, the Halos have as much reason to sign Suárez as anyone.
The Angels have a need for a third baseman that Suárez could fill, unless they are ready to hand the keys to former first-round pick Christian Moore for the entire season.
They also need to replace the right-handed power production lost when Taylor Ward was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in November, which Suárez would do and then some.
Los Angeles hasn't made the playoffs since 2014, and hasn't had a winning season since 2015. Signing Suárez could help them to snap at least one of those two streaks.
