CINCINNATI – Familiarity. It was a key ingredient that helped free agent Eugenio Suárez select the Reds – one of his former teams – as his next team. It was also what greased the wheels for ownership and the front office to go beyond the club's expected budget to get a deal done.
After agreeing to terms on Sunday, the Reds and Suárez finalized a one-year, $15 million contract on Tuesday after he passed a physical. There is a $16 million mutual option for 2027 that has no buyout.
"He’s a great clubhouse guy, a great guy with all of your fans. You know what you’re getting with him," Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. "He’s just a tremendous individual and it’s something we weren’t sure we would be able to do, but it was great that we were able to get Geno."
Suárez's agency and the Reds remained in touch throughout the offseason, but they got more serious in talks over the past 10 days, Krall said. Suárez chose Cincinnati despite getting an equal offer from the Pirates, who were willing to go even higher.
"That’s why I’m here, because it’s perfect. Beautiful, happy and very excited to be back home," Suárez said. "When you put everything together, it made it easy for me to be back home. I still have part of my family here. My daughter was born here. My wife and I made a good decision to be back here. The chance to win, the chance to bring the playoffs to the city and the chance we have with me of making the playoffs and winning it all, it was high. That made everything easier."
Even after trading Gavin Lux and his $5.525 million to the Rays in a three-way trade last month, the Reds were at the ceiling of a projected budget that was in the range of their $112 million payroll heading into 2025.
For a Cincinnati club trying to build on an 83-win season that ended in a two-game sweep vs. the Dodgers in the National League Wild Card Series, getting Suárez meant raising payroll for 2026.
"This was more," Krall said. "We went to ownership last week, and I talked to Bob and Phil [Castellini]. We said, 'This is probably where it’s going to go and what we’re going to need that would be above and beyond our budget.' And they approved it. We were excited to be able to do that and go get him."
Suárez, 34, batted .228 with an .824 OPS, a career-high-tying 49 home runs and a career-high 118 RBIs in 159 games during an All-Star 2025 season with the Diamondbacks and Mariners. His presence in the Reds' lineup should provide a boost for an offense that was often a team weakness last year.
Importantly, Suarez should provide lineup protection batting behind Elly De La Cruz. The Reds were 21st in home runs (167) last season. The team leader was De La Cruz, with 22, but he had only four after the All-Star break.
"He is talented," Suárez said of De La Cruz. "He knows what he can do on the field. Whatever he needs from me, I will help him. I know how good he is. He might be helping me too."
Suárez will likely see most of his time as the Reds' designated hitter, but he will also play some at first base and third base. Gold Glover Ke'Bryan Hayes will remain locked in at third base. Spencer Steer will get reps at first base, second base, left field and right field. Rookie and top prospect Sal Stewart (MLB Pipeline's No. 22 overall prospect) could be used at DH, first base, second base and third base.
"I think we’ll be able to piece everything together, but some guys are going to get some reps at different positions and we’ll see how it goes in Spring Training," Krall said.
Primarily a shortstop when he was acquired by Cincinnati in a trade from the Tigers for pitcher Alfredo Simon on Dec. 11, 2014, Suárez was moved to third base for the 2016 season and saw his career take off. After signing a seven-year, $66 million contract extension during Spring Training in '18, he became a first-time All-Star that season and then slugged a career-high 49 homers in '19.
Suárez hit 189 homers as a member of the Reds from 2015-21. A team rebuild ahead of the 2022 season prompted a fire sale of big contracts. During Spring Training of that year, Suárez was traded to the Mariners with Jesse Winker for Jake Fraley, Brandon Williamson, Justin Dunn and Connor Phillips.
At the time, Suárez was tearful and emotional with reporters about leaving the Reds. The club has not had a 30-homer hitter since his departure despite playing at cozy Great American Ball Park.
"I remember that conversation with you guys when I said, 'You never know.' This game is like that," Suárez said. "In a business like that, you never know where you’ll end your career. I said at the time, 'Maybe I’ll end my career in Cincinnati.' And five years later, here I am. God’s timing is perfect. This is a gift being back where everybody knows you. You feel comfortable. You feel very happy to be here."