CINCINNATI – There were times in the 2025 season, as the Reds offense sputtered in streaks, where it was easy to wonder what the club could have done if it had one big game-changing bat in the heart of the lineup.
With Eugenio Suárez, Cincinnati can wonder no more. On Sunday at Great American Ball Park, the missing ingredient delivered exactly what he was signed for. Suárez delivered the crucial three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning that provided the Reds with all of their runs and a 3-2 victory over the Red Sox.
“I think that’s a game that last year, we lose a lot of times," manager Terry Francona said. "Because we were kind of frustrated. We had some hits. We didn’t bunch them together but all of a sudden, they try to sneak a fastball by him and it completely changes the game. That’s why we got Geno.”
The Reds took their first series of the season by winning the last two games – both by one run.
After being kept scoreless by Red Sox lefty starter Connelly Early into the sixth inning, the Reds perked up after Matt McLain's leadoff single off the right-field wall. With one out, Early was lifted for right-hander Greg Weissert, and that's when Cincinnati capitalized.
Weissert's first batter, Sal Stewart, drew a walk to set up Suárez, who nearly grounded into a double play earlier in the plate appearance when his grounder to third base was an inch foul. Then he tattooed an 0-2 fastball for the game-changing homer - his first of the season.
“Obviously it feels great. The first one always feels really good," Suárez said.
Hit at 109.6 mph, the ball traveled a Statcast-projected 431 feet and landed in the left-field upper deck.
“Don't throw the ball right down the middle," Weissert said. "The report was fastballs up. I just didn’t get it up. Just can’t miss there in that spot, especially after the walk.”
It was Suárez's 190th homer for the franchise that he also played for from 2015-21.
“I think he’s happy to be here. We’re thrilled to have him," Francona said. "He lifts everybody up. I think we already had a great group. But he adds a lot.”
Entering the plate appearance, Suárez was 1-for-11 this season with five strikeouts. That included a deep drive to the center-field wall for a fly out in his previous at-bat in the fourth inning - which was also scorched at 109.4 mph.
“The previous one, I hit it hard, too high a little bit and then I got the good one," Suárez said. “They’ve been throwing me a lot of fastballs and I was late the previous two games. I missed so many but today was different. I try to make my adjustment. I kind of knew they’re going to attack me with a fastball and be ready for that one. Don’t let it beat me and today was better, a lot better.”
Suárez not only improved the offense with his bat, but with his presence in the lineup as well when he signed a one-year, $15 million contract on Feb. 3. Batting cleanup, the rookie Stewart was on base all four times he hit in front of Suárez on Sunday, and he his batting .700 through three games. At 22 years and 112 days old, Stewart has reached base 10 times. Since 1900, only Jim Fregosi (1964) and Barney McCosky (1939) reached 10 times in the first three team games at a younger age.
The only Cincinnati player to do it at any age was Barry Larkin (2001).
“I knew he was going to be on base, and it’s awesome, man," Suárez said. "I know how important it is to be in the heart of the lineup. … That’s what we’re looking for.”
Rhett Lowder (No. 83 overall prospect) allowed two earned runs and three hits with two walks and five strikeouts in a no-decision. During a 31-pitch fourth inning, Wilyer Abreu hit a two-run homer to right field for a 2-0 Boston lead. Lowder and the bullpen kept the Red Sox from adding on while Suárez took care of the rest.
“These are the types of games we are going to be in all year long if we’re going to be the team we expect to be," said closer Emilio Pagán, who rebounded from a blown save Saturday to notch the save Sunday. "We expect to be a really good team. That’s kind of what Geno has done his whole career. We knew if he kept coming up in spots where he could change the game with one swing, eventually he will for us a lot of times this year."