Free Agent Profile: Eugenio Suárez, 3B/DH
EUGENIO SUÁREZ, 3B/DH
Position: 3B/1B/DH B/T: R/R
Player Data: Age: 34 (7/18/1991)
2025 Traditional Stats: 657 PA, .228/.298/.526/.824, 134 H, 49 HR, 118 RBI
2025 Advanced Stats: 125 wRC+, 29.8% K%, 7% BB%, .243 BABP, .316 xwOBA, 3.8 fWAR, 3.6 bWAR, -6 DRS (3B), -1 DRS (1B), -3 OAA (3B), -1 OAA (1B)
RUNDOWN
Going into the 2025 trade deadline, Eugenio Suárez was one of the hottest names tossed around in trade packages. After his scorching finish to the 2024 season, he was slashing .248/.320/.576/.897 with 36 home runs across 106 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Then, on July 29, two days before the trade deadline, he exited a game after getting hit by a pitch on the hand. His X-ray, CT scan and MRI were all negative, and two days later he was traded to the Seattle Mariners for first baseman Tyler Locklear and pitchers Juan Burgos and Hunter Cranton.
The remainder of the season with the Mariners, Suárez slashed .189/.255/.428/.682 with 13 home runs. He did bounce back a bit in the postseason, slashing .213/.270/.511/.785 with 3 home runs, including an ALCS slash of .308/.379/.577/.956 with two home runs in seven games.
His 49 home runs this season matched his career high from 2019, and his 118 RBIs set a career high. Both his .825 OPS and 125 wRC+ were the fourth-highest of his career. His 3.8 fWAR was tied for fifth best in his career, and his 3.6 bWAR was the third-best of his career. Despite an OBP below .300, this was one of Suárez’s most productive seasons of his career.
Under the hood looked a lot like what you would expect from a slugger like Eugenio Suárez. He was 97th percentile in pull fly ball rate (25.1%), 85th percentile in barrel rate (13.3%), 74th percentile in hard-hit rate (48.6%), 77th percentile in max EV (113.8 MPH), 72nd percentile in 90th EV (106.6 MPH), and 60th percentile in average EV (90.2 MPH). Overall, when he made contact, it was consistently hard and consistently pulled in the air.
His game also contains significant swing and miss, with his 33.3% whiff rate (4th percentile), 29.8% K rate (4th percentile), 31.1% chase rate (29th percentile), and 78.8% zone contact (16th percentile). He also only walked 6.7% (32nd percentile). While he made hard contact when he did, he did not consistently make contact.
Defensively, he did take a step back, posting his worst DRS at -6 and his worst OAA at -3. In 2024, he posted a -4 DRS and +3 OAA. He worked into first base across three games, and at his age, a shift to the other side of the diamond may be the next step for him. He also played four games as the designated hitter, and a team may be interested in him for that role as well.
CONTRACT
MLB Trade Rumors predicts Suárez will sign a three-year deal totaling $63 million. This would be similar to deals signed by Christian Walker and Jose Abreu over the last couple of years.
RECOMMENDATION: WORTH CHECKING IN
The Mets currently do not have a definitive first baseman or designated hitter so Suárez could be considered a fit there for the right price. His ability to play third base if necessary could also be a benefit the Mets if Brett Baty is unable to build on his 2025 season.
But his defensive struggles from last season do not fit with David Stearns’ discussion on “run prevention.” He has shown better lateral range overall than Pete Alonso, so it is possible that with the right instruction, he could be a potential fit for first base. But at his age, there is always the risk of regression, so a short-term contract would likely be the best if the Mets consider going down this route.
Either way, his bat could provide a source of power for the Mets to either replace Pete if he leaves or be in addition to him if he returns.
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