Photo: Doug Gray
The Cincinnati Reds offense could use some help. In fact they could probably use a lot of help. With the trade deadline closing in they are making phone calls and sending texts to see who is available. One of the players they’ve talked about is Eugenio Suarez. The former Reds third baseman leads the National League in both home runs and RBI, all while hitting .254/.325/.598. The trade discussion was first reported by C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. But MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand notes his sources have said it’s a long shot that the two can make a deal.
All of this could have been avoided if the Reds had simply not traded him away in spring training of 2022 while he was still under an incredibly cheap contract – one he is still under. But they did do that, getting back Jake Fraley, Justin Dunn, Connor Phillips, and Brandon Williamson in the process. Since leaving, Suarez has hit 119 home runs in three-and-a-half seasons and posted a 122 OPS+. For comparison – Noelvi Marte has a 120 OPS+ this season while hitting .278/.328/.496 for the Reds. In 2025, Suarez has an OPS+ of 150. That’s the best of his career by a wide margin.
It’s pretty obvious that a hitter like Eugenio Suarez would fill the middle of the order bat that Cincinnati needs. But the question really comes down to one of are the Reds willing to pay a big price for a rental? Suarez is a free agent after the season is over. But he’s also having the kind of season where a team is going to have to give up at least one legitimate piece to acquire him, if not more.
Cincinnati’s front office is on the record speaking about how they don’t want to give up prospects for rentals. And there lies the issue in a deal like this one. They want to build for a future that they aren’t sure will ever come rather than they to take advantage of a good, but flawed team right now and try to improve it in a meaningful way. Much like ESPN’s Jeff Passan noted earlier today – they’d rather hope for magic to fix their problems than reality.
Perhaps the Reds will show everyone just how wrong they’ve been in their assumptions about having what it takes to actually make a trade for a difference maker instead of trying to acquire not good players and hope they can somehow solve their problems. But history isn’t on their side right now.
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