Eugenio's high-intensity training regimen leads to 2nd All-Star nod

PHOENIX -- It was late June last year and the Diamondbacks were in Philadelphia for a series with the Phillies when manager Torey Lovullo called third baseman Eugenio Suárez into his office for a talk.

Suárez had been acquired by the D-backs in the offseason from the Mariners and they were hoping his power bat would help add to an already solid lineup. Almost halfway through the season, though, Suárez’s bat had yet to catch fire. In fact, by that final game in Philadelphia, his slash line was a measly .192/.276/.308.

Something had to change, and Lovullo had an idea.

“I told him, you know, you're a little bit older now, the intensity of your training should be a little bit different,” Lovullo said.

Suárez had found success in his career with a certain pregame routine and once it works for a player, they stick with it at all costs. So, what Lovullo was asking for from a struggling veteran player was not a small request.

The Diamondbacks felt that Suárez would benefit from more high-intensity prep. That meant instead of the usual batting practice swings Suárez had grown used to taking, Arizona wanted him in the batting cage hitting off the high-velocity pitching machine.

Instead of taking ground balls, the D-backs wanted Suárez to take ones that were harder hit and work at game speed rather than practice speed.

“I told him that I’m basically demanding that you go out there and get some high-intensity training, which he did,” Lovullo said.

Suárez also received a similar message from shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, which in itself was stunning considering Perdomo had only a couple of big league seasons under his belt while Suárez was an accomplished veteran. That Perdomo spoke up meant a lot to Suárez.

“When I had that conversation with Torey, then I start putting more work in on my routine,” Suárez said. “Everything changed that quick. I was prepared for the game. I was ready right away. I didn’t have to wait two or three innings or two or three at-bats to get my body going. When I did that, everything changed quickly.”

It sure did.

Around a week after Suárez made the changes to his routine, he began to take off at the plate as well as in the field. Over his final 80 games, Suárez slashed .311/.357/.609.

Suddenly, Suárez went from a player the front office had discussed designating for assignment to such a valuable piece of the team that Arizona picked up Suárez’s $17 million option for 2025 without blinking.

“I felt like I had to give him everything I possibly could through my vision,” Lovullo said. “What stands out more to me is I made some suggestions, and he trusted me, and he did it.”

Suárez has kept up the new routine this season, grinding every day on the high-velocity machine and working at game speed while taking grounders.

The success has kept up as well, with Suárez slashing .250/.320/.569 at the All-Star break, which won’t be a break for him because his impressive season earned him a spot on the National League All-Star team via the player vote.

Suárez will be joined by teammates Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll. Marte will start the game at second base, while the players voted Carroll in as an outfield reserve.

It’s just the second All-Star appearance for Suárez, who put together a first half that included a four-home run game, as well as his 300th career homer. Suárez also moved up to third -- behind Miguel Cabrera (511) and Andres Galarraga (399) -- on the career home run list of Venezuelan-born players, a milestone that meant a great deal to him.

There were some dark moments last year, for sure, but through it all, the always-positive Suárez kept both his faith in God and himself.

“That's why I never lost my joy, and that's why I never lost my passion for the game,” Suárez said. “I just never lost my belief in what I could do.”