MESA, Ariz. -- Eugenio Suárez couldn't help being a little tired when he rolled back into Reds camp after his triumphant experience with Team Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic.
“When I first talked to him, he was like ‘Man, I’d love to have a day to kind of catch up.’ And I said, ‘I would have, too,'" Reds manager Terry Francona said on Friday.
That was Francona's way of telling Suárez there was no rest for the weary. Not when he'd been away from the team for three weeks, getting back less than a week before Opening Day vs. the Red Sox on Thursday in Cincinnati.
“It was more the flight back here. It took me like 5 1/2 hours to get here," Suárez said. "The weather, too. It was hot today. Good thing I feel great after my game."
Starting at third base and playing 5 1/2 innings, Suárez went 1-for-2 with a fifth-inning RBI single, a run scored and a third-inning walk in his first game back, an 8-6 win over the Cubs.
“Obviously, I’m happy to be back with the boys," Suárez said. "First game back here, I feel great. I’ll continue doing my thing working on putting my body at 100 percent for Opening Day. So far, I’m feeling great. I got a walk and a hit, that’s what I want.”
Certainly, the stakes were much lower than when Suárez last played, on Tuesday.
It was Suárez's go-ahead RBI double in the top of the ninth inning that provided the winning run during a 3-2 Venezuela victory over Team USA in the WBC final in Miami. It was Venezuela's first WBC championship, and Suárez was still savoring the experience a few days later.
“It’s been awesome. It’s a dream come true," said Suárez, who also hit a home run in the semifinal game vs. Italy. "I feel all the emotions still every time that I see my phone and I see all those pictures, videos, messages from people from Venezuela. It’s very, very good for me to be able to do that for my country.
“But now back to reality. I’ve got to be ready for my season and help my team win games here now in Cincinnati.”
An added benefit of the WBC for Suárez was being able to be in his adopted hometown of Miami, where he lives in the offseason.
"I slept in my own bed at my house," Suarez said. "I was with my wife, my daughters, all my family came to watch the WBC and I think that was awesome to spend the last two weeks at my house.”
Suárez, 34, is scheduled to be the designated hitter in Saturday's game vs. the White Sox. He will likely be off on Sunday but work out at the complex, and then play in the two exhibition games vs. the Brewers on Monday and Tuesday at Milwaukee.
"I feel like that’s enough. My body feels great. Healthy, not heavy, not tired," Suárez said.
Suárez only got 27 at-bats for Venezuela -- including its two exhibitions vs. MLB teams -- while batting .200 with two home runs in the WBC, and has 15 spring at-bats for the Reds.
Expected to be a regular DH and get time at third base and first base this season, Suarez noted that he used his time away well and didn't get too comfortable -- including his work at both corner infield spots.
“I was working so hard, doing my workout every day, my routine, taking my groundballs, trying to have good at-bats, seeing the machine, all that stuff like I’m in Spring Training," said Suárez, who played one of his WBC games at first base and one of the pre-tournament exhibitions at third. "I took those at-bats in the game very seriously and put my best on the field. That’s why right now I feel good and I feel like I’m ready for Opening Day.”
After reaching the playoffs but being bounced quickly in the National League Wild Card Series by the Dodgers, the Reds signed Suárez to a one-year, $15 million contract on Feb. 3. It brought him back to the club he played for from 2015-21.
Suárez, who is expected to bat fourth behind Elly De La Cruz, was brought in to boost Cincinnati's offense from a season ago and lead the club further into the playoffs.
“It’s high expectations, always going to be high expectations for a team like this," Suárez said. "We’ve got to understand what we have. For me, this is a very special team.”