Eugenio Suárez Reunion Looming? Mariners Linked to Surprise 2026 Comeback

Eugenio Suárez’s late-summer surge is giving the Cincinnati Reds exactly what they hoped for when the veteran slugger re-signed on a one-year, $15 million deal last winter. After missing three weeks with a bruised left forearm, Suárez returned from the injured list on 25 August and homered in his first series back. One night later he uncorked a no-doubt grand slam to dead center, his 19th long ball of the season, blowing open a 7–2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks and electrifying Great American Ball Park. That blast capped a torrid five-game stretch in which the 35-year-old third baseman slashed .438/.471/1.000, raised his OPS by 47 points and, perhaps most importantly, reminded National League pitchers that his trademark pull-side power is intact. Sub-headline: Trade-deadline loyalty rewarded • In early August Suárez made it clear he wanted to stay in Cincinnati past the 3 Aug. deadline, telling reporters, “This is home; I believe we can win here.” The front office ultimately kept him, and sources say preliminary talks on a 2027 option have already begun. • Club officials privately credit Suárez’s presence for stabilizing a lineup that lost rookie sensation Nick Martinez to season-ending elbow surgery. Stat check • 2026 season (thru 26 Aug.): .262 AVG / .334 OBP / .486 SLG, 19 HR, 61 RBI, 2.3 fWAR • Career with Reds: 1,128 hits, 255 HR – already fourth on Cincinnati’s all-time homer list. Why the swing is back Hitting coach Jason Vosler attributes the rebound to a mechanical tweak instituted during Suárez’s Triple-A rehab assignment: “We shortened his leg kick and got him loading earlier. It lets him stay through the ball instead of spinning off.” The numbers back that up; since 15 August his average exit velocity has jumped from 88 mph to 93 mph, and his pull-percentage has climbed to a season-high 54 percent. Health watch Suárez was struck on the right hand by a 95 mph fastball 23 Aug. but X-rays were negative and he stayed in the game. Trainers wrapped the hand after the contest, calling it “standard precaution.” He has started every game since. Roster ripple effects 1. Rookie utilityman Jose Sierra, who covered third during Suárez’s IL stint, has slid into a super-sub role and could make the postseason roster. 2. With Suárez locked in, manager David Bell moved Elly De La Cruz back to shortstop full-time, solidifying the infield defense. What’s next • The Reds open a pivotal three-game set in Milwaukee on Friday; Suárez owns a .912 career OPS at American Family Field. • Cincinnati trails St. Louis by 2½ games in the NL Central but leads the second Wild Card by half a game. FanGraphs now pegs the Reds’ playoff odds at 63 percent, up from 48 percent a week ago. Bottom line A healthy, locked-in Eugenio Suárez changes the complexion of Cincinnati’s lineup and clubhouse. If his post-injury power binge continues into September, the Reds’ longest postseason drought since the mid-2010s could end – and Suárez’s bet on staying in the Queen City could pay off in October glory.