The Cincinnati Reds made the signing of Eugenio Suarez official on Tuesday afternoon. Shortly after he put ink on his contract he sat down with the local media in Cincinnati to talk about his return to the Queen City.
We have video of the entire press conference, but it has also been transcribed for you to read if you prefer to consume things that way.
Was this your first choice because this seems like the perfect fit?
It’s perfect. That’s why I’m here because it’s perfect. Everything worked out. Everything right now is perfect, beautiful. Very excited to be back home.
What made you decide that the Reds were the best option for you?
First of all the Reds were the team that in the offseason talked to my agents about me, always asking, (inaudible) bring me back. When you see, when you put everything together it makes it easy for me to be back home. I still have part of my family here. My daughter was born here. My wife and I think we made a good decision to be back here.
Obviously when you put the chance for me to win the World Series or going to the World Series, talking to my agents, they did a good job of putting the numbers together. I think the chance to win, the chance to bring the playoffs to the city, the chance that we have with me and making the playoffs and winning it all – it was high. So I think that made everything easier.
The personal whys – I know everybody. I know the city and I feel very happy to be back. I think that the ballpark is going to make my career, keep it in good shape. For me I think the division is very easy for me and like I said, I know it already and that makes everything easy.
Nick Krall just told us that ownership was willing to expand payroll to make your deal happen. What does that mean to you?
It means a lot. Like I said they were the team who asked about me all the time, almost all of the offseason. We put everything together. Both sides made a real good deal and I’m happy that it worked out. I think the ownership, Nick Krall, Jeff (Graupe – the vice president and assistant GM, player acquisition and strategy), everybody did a really good job to put everything together to make this deal happen. Obviously both sides are happy having made that.
Did you leave years or money on the table to come back to Cincinnati?
No, it’s not years, it wasn’t about years. It’s about where you want to be. We worked on two years and put it together with one year with one year on a mutual option and it’s basically good for both sides.
When you got traded in spring training in 2022. Did you ever think you would end up back here again?
I remember that conversation with you guys and I said “you never know”. This game is like that. This business is like that, you never know where you’ll end your career. You know where you start it. I started in Detroit, right, but you don’t know where you end it. But I said at the time maybe I’ll end it in Cincinnati. And five years later here I am. God’s time is perfect like I always say. God has been good for me and for my family and for my career. I think this is a gift being back where everybody knows you, where you feel comfortable, where you feel very happy to be. Like I say, it feels so good and feel glad to be back here.
What does it mean to come back to a team that sees you as a missing piece that could take them to the World Series?
I think right now when I see the lineup we look very good. I can’t wait to put everything together. I have faced these guys the last couple of years and I see how good they’ve been. The pitching staff has been great. The offense has been there. I know they have speed, they are fast on the bases, and have a very good defense. They are looking for something like I have, and they might be looking for something different from me and I’m here now to help the team, help the lineup. Not to be a super hero. Not to be a super hero but be my best version and put everything on the field, do my best to help the team to win games. That’s more important to me, not come here to be a super hero, I just came here to help my team be a better team on the field and I will help the team win games.
Do you know what number you will wear?
I am not going to be #7 like I said earlier. #7 is Steer’s and he’s been really good under that number the last three years and there’s no way I’m going to take that number from him. They said they have the #28 open so I will keep #28 that I’ve been wearing for the last five years, so yes, it’s #28.
How do you think you can help Elly De La Cruz?
I mean whatever he needs from me, I’m there. He has the talent, he knows what he can do on the field. Whatever he needs from me I will help him. I know how good he is and he might be able to help me too a lot. I came here to help the team win games and be the best version of the Cincinnati Reds. To be one of the guys to help the young kids be better not only on the field but off the field. Be more strong mentally, because it’s not just physical, it’s more about mental. You’ve got be strong here (points to head) and that’s going to help you be your best version on the field. Whatever Elly needs from me, I’ve already got texts from him and he’s very happy and it’s very good to have it and I’ll be there for him. For him, but not only for him but everybody on this team.
Who did you hear from when you signed from current and former Reds?
I got a text from Emilio Pagan. I never played with him, but he was one of the guys who text me, who welcomed me really well and text me really good words and that means a lot when you have teammates that want you hear and they feel happy for me and that means a lot. I got a couple of texts from Elly, from Emilio, I always talk to some of the other guys – Tomas Vera (athletic trainer), Freddie Benavides (bench coach), always have conversations with them and it’s awesome.
Have you seen the fans reactions what’s it like to see the excitement from them to have you back?
Just bring the good vibes to the field, be happy. Like you said, I’m not a big social media guy but I already see the messages from the fans and obviously it feels great to have all of their support and that they feel happy. I’ve already seen some guys around the city and they’re very happy for me and that means a lot too. I can’t wait to see Great American Ball Park on Opening Day with all of the crowd yelling for our team.
How are the vibes?
It’s high right now. Always. Very high.
Did you get a chance to speak with with Terry Francona and what that was like?
Yeah, I already had one conversation with him. He told me how excited he was and I told him back how excited I was. It’s a pleasure for me and I told him it was an honor for me to play for him. I know for me that he’s one of the best managers in the game and he’s a Hall of Fame manager. We already talked about where I’m going to play, what’s going to be my role on the field. I told him that I’m open to do my 100% every day. Whatever he needs me I will give him my 100%.
Is anything different about the player you are today versus the player the Reds traded away?
Yeah, when you grow up you know more, you learn more, and you know more about this game. I feel like I’m the same guy on the field, doing my best every day and play 100% every day even when I don’t feel good. But it’s more like I grew up as a person. Who you are, who you want to be when this is done. Now I’m a different guy. I just try to be the best husband, be the best son, dad, and all that stuff. You know what I mean? The way that you grew up because on the field you put your talent in, you work every time, every year to do really good on the field. At the same time it’s something else without baseball and now you’ve got to think about that too as well. But like I said, on the field I think I’m the same guy, the guy who enjoys the game 100%, the guy who will give the team the best version of me and try to win games. That’s our goal, that’s my goal.
How much would you embrace the role of being one of the leaders in the clubhouse?
Obviously I am going to be one of the oldest on the field, but I don’t want to be the guy they have to listen to because I’m the older guy. For me it doesn’t work like that. I want to be a good example and a good model, and I want to be the guy whatever they need from me I’m there. If they want to talk about baseball, I’ll talk about baseball or talk about something else I want to be that guy. I don’t want to be the guy that they have to listen to me or they have to do whatever I say. No, it’s not about that. I want to be the good model and the good model is the guy who can do good things. Even when you don’t feel good you have do something good and make everybody else happy and make everybody else have a good smile and that’s something that I want to be this time in the clubhouse.
Last year there was talk at the trade deadline about teams you could wind up with and three of them were the Mariners, Tigers, and Reds – teams you had already been with. What did it mean to you that they all came back to you and that the Mariners and Reds both brought you back?
For me it means a lot. It’s something like I always say, you let doors open. How you let doors open by being a good teammate, be good on the field and treat everybody the same. When sit back and you see I got two times in Seattle, now I got two times here, two times in Arizona it’s just because God is good and God gave me something special. I want to share all of those good things that God gave me with everybody else. The grace is not only for me, it’s something I want to share with everybody else. And that means a lot when people or when teams ask for you and they want you because they know you and what you can do on the field and off the field. That means a lot to me and that is something when I look back and I see the young Geno and back in Venezuela and I never thought it would happen to me and now it’s happened and I’ve just got to enjoy the time, enjoy the moment, and be grateful. Be grateful for every time the door was left open and be you every time and share the grace you have from God.
Do you have a favorite memory from your previous time in Cincinnati?
I’ve got a few man. I think one of the best for me, obviously this is off the field, but my daughter born here in Cincinnati is a really good memory not only from the team but the city. Everything that I do, when I hit the 49th home run to break the Venezuelan record, when I made my debut here, when I hit the home run against Jon Lester off the boat. There’s a lot of good things that I had in my mind and I want to keep going and collect memories from this city, this ballpark, and the team.
What will your emotions be like on Opening Day?
I can’t wait. I know how excited the people are for opening day here in Cincinnati. How big it is for our fans and for me. I can’t wait to see the crowd around the city, around the ballpark, see the kids and people to cheer for us. It’s a party. It’s a party and you enjoy it and play for it. You enjoy that day because you see all the people and the opening of baseball season and it’s very exciting for me to be a part of that this year.
