Eugenio Suarez trade: Top 5 third basemen Mariners could consider to replace departing star

The Seattle Mariners are in the market for a third baseman heading into the 2024 season. They traded Eugenio Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Carlos Vargas and Seby Zavala earlier on Wednesday.

Seattle is looking to combat their strikeout problem from the 2023 season. Suarez finished the season with 214 strikeouts, just one shy of tying Kyle Schwarber for most strikeouts by a player this year.

Luckily, there are some good options on the open market. Below, we take a look at the top third basemen that Seattle could target this winter:

Top 5 third basemen Mariners could consider with Eugenio Suarez gone

#5 Josh Donaldson

At the age of 38, Donaldson is no longer in his prime. However, that does not mean he does not have anything left in the tank. If the team wanted to go that route, he would be a cheap, short-term option.

Last season, Donaldson split his time with the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers. In 50 games, he hit .249/.418/.667 with 13 home runs and 26 RBIs.

#4 Evan Longoria

Longoria is a 16-year veteran whose career is starting to wind down. He is far from his prime but still is a capable third-baseman. Last season, he had a career-low .223 batting average. However, he still possesses a fantastic glove that the Mariners could use.

#3 Gio Urshella

Urshella had his 2023 season cut short with a pelvic fracture. He spent last season with the Los Angeles Angels and played in 62 games. He will be looking to bounce back during the 2024 season and could be a great replacement for Suarez.

#2 Jeimer Candelario

Candelario split his season with the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs last season. He played in 140 games and hit .251/.336/.471 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs.

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He is mentioned as one of the team's top targets now that Suarez is gone. Expect Seattle to get aggressive as Candelario is one of the top third basemen on the open market.

#1 Matt Chapman

Chapman is one of the best third basemen on the open market. In 140 games with the Toronto Blue Jays last season, he hit .240/.330/.424 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs. His home runs and RBIs were down last year, but he still possesses a great bat.

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However, as one of the top third basemen on the market, he would like to be paid as such. If Seattle wants him, they will have to bite the bullet and offer him a contract he cannot refuse.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom