Will Mariners reunite with Eugenio Suarez before deadline? MLB insider explores Seattle's trade strategy with D-Backs

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Eugenio Suarez's name has been in the rumor mill, with the veteran third baseman likely to part ways with the team at the trade deadline, per reports.

The 33-year-old infielder is reportedly on the radar of the New York Yankees, who are looking to add a third baseman after cutting DJ LeMahieu on Wednesday.

However, other teams are also reportedly on the lookout for the two-time All-Star slugger, with a surprise return to the Seattle Mariners, who traded Suarez to the Snakes in 2023, in the mix.

The Mariners are chasing a Wild Card spot and trail the Houston Astros in the American League West. Seattle could use a proven power-hitter at third base, but would it trade for Suarez, who is expected to hit free agency at the end of the season?

The notion of Eugenio Suarez's reunion with Seattle is backed by MLB insider and former pitcher Steven Brault. The former hurler joined sportscaster Chris Rose on Tuesday's edition of "Baseball Today" to discuss the topic (22:00 onwards):

"I have Eugenio Suarez going back to Seattle, once again great fit. All they've been doing this year offensively is hitting home runs, so you might as well go get somebody who has proven he can do that for you before you get him for a half season.

"You put him at third base. They haven't had a ton of production from that position anyway, and you just say, 'Hey, we'll keep you for half the season again, and you can go be a free agent again.'"

With over 250 games as a starting third baseman for the Mariners in his two seasons from 2022 to 2023, Suarez is more than accustomed to playing the role for the AL West team.

"He knows that spot and like I said, their offense is going to be based on hitting home runs, you might as well lean into it at this point and see if you can keep it going," Brault added. "So, I would say Suarez back to back to Mariners makes a lot of sense for me."

MLB insider names another team looking for upgrade at third base for Eugenio Suarez

While Steven Brault had the Mariners making a move for Eugenio Suarez, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic tipped another team in the race for the veteran infielder.

According to Sharma, the Chicago Cubs could move for Suarez at the trade deadline as a potential upgrade on rookie third baseman Matt Shaw, who has struggled with a .207 batting average this season.

“I think it’s something they would consider (trading for a Shaw upgrade). But, really, the primary upgrade option out there would be a Eugenio Suárez. The Diamondbacks aren’t going to sell until the very last minute… That’s a team that wants to wait until the very last moment before they decide to buy or sell.”

While it remains to be seen whether Eugenio Suarez ends up moving or staying with the Diamondbacks before free agency, few teams could use the veteran third baseman.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash