CINCINNATI — The Reds were willing to pay a premium to bring a great mojo back to Cincinnati. That mojo just so happens to also fill a very specific need in the middle of their batting order.
On Sunday, owner Bob Castellini opened up his wallet a little wider and found an extra stash to pay Eugenio Suarez $15 million for the upcoming season, plus a mutual option for 2027 for $15 million. The Reds were looking at a payroll of about $112 million heading into this month. The uncertainty of a TV deal this offseason added an extra challenge to budgeting for a deal like Suarez’s to materialize. The Athletic reported that the Reds turned down a $42 million deal from Main Street Sports, the owners of Bally’s Sports Network, deciding instead for a more reliable and stable option with MLB.TV.
“This is more (than anticipated),” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said Tuesday from Great American Ball Park, minutes after the slugger passed his physical and signed his contract. “We went to ownership last week, and we talked to Bob and Phil, and we said, ‘This is probably where it’s going to go (with Suarez), and what we’re going to need that would be above and beyond our budget.’ And they, they approved it. We’re excited to be able to do that and go get it done.
“To bring a guy in that is a middle-of-the-order bat that hit 49 homers last year, (and) he’s a great clubhouse guy, great guy with all of your fans, you know what you’re getting with him. He’s just a tremendous individual. It was really something that we weren’t sure we were going to be able to do, but it was great that we were able to get Geno.”
Suarez was ecstatic about his return to the franchise and city he called home for seven seasons before being traded in the spring of 2022.
“It’s perfect. That’s why I’m here, because it’s perfect, perfect the way it worked out,” Suarez said. “Everything right now is perfect, beautiful, happy and and very excited to be back home.”
What made Suarez pick the Reds over teams like the Red Sox, Tigers and Mariners?
“First of all, the Reds were the team that I talked to the most in the offseason,” Suarez said. “They talked to my agents about me. They were always asking. They always were trying to bring me back and when you put everything together, it’s easy for me to be back home. I still have part of my family here. My daughter, she was born here and and my wife and I think we make it the good decision that be back here.
“When you (add) the chance for me to win the World Series and the chance of going to the World Series. I talked with my agents and they did a really good job and put all the number together. And I think the chance to win, the chance to bring the playoffs to the city, and the chance that we have with me, and make the playoffs and win it at all, it was high. So that’s why I think that made everything easier.”
Why the commitment from the Reds? Pretty simple, really.
The Reds are getting back a two-time National League All-Star slugger who is coming off the second 49-home run season of his career, split between Arizona and Seattle. The slugger is very comfortable in the city and there is nothing but good vibes, on the field and in the clubhouse. He’s precisely what the Reds need in terms of energy. Now, the Reds are banking on Suarez’s on-field production back in Cincinnati to match his good “vibes” energy.
“It’s high right now. Always very high,” Suarez said with a laugh.
This marks Suárez’ second career stint with the Reds, as he hit 189 home runs with an .811 OPS across 7 seasons with the club from 2015-21. In 2019, he set a new single-season Major League record for homers by both a National League third baseman and Venezuelan-born player with 49, which were also tied for second-most by a Red in a season in franchise history.
“I’m here now to help the team, help the lineup, not to be a superhero, but be my best version, and put everything on the field, do my best, try to help the team win games,” Suarez said. “That’s more important to me, not come here to try to be a superhero. I just came here to help my team be better, be better team on the field and whatever I can to do my best on the field that will help the team win games.”
How will he fit in?
Krall said that Suarez will get spring training reps at first and third base while Spencer Steer will get time at first and second base and right and left field and Sal Stewart will see time at first, second and third base. It’ll be up to skipper Terry Francona to figure out the particulars. Suarez, Steer and Stewart will all get time at DH as well in the spring.
His 189 career homers with Cincinnati rank 13th in team history and were fourth-most by any National League batter from 2015-21. Suárez, who received the Ernie Lombardi Award as the Reds’ Most Valuable Player in both 2018 and ’19, is the only primary third baseman in franchise history to produce 3 seasons with at least 30 home runs (2018, ’19, ’21).
Suárez earned his second career All-Star selection last season after slashing .228/.298/.526 with a career-high-tying 49 homers and career-best 118 RBI over 159 games with the Diamondbacks and Mariners. He opened the year with Arizona before being traded to Seattle for 1B Tyler Locklear, RHP Hunter Cranton, and RHP Juan Burgos on July 31.
In 2025, Suárez produced the 17th four-homer game in MLB history as a member of the Diamondbacks on April 26 vs Atlanta. The 34-year-old finished the year ranked among Major League leaders in several offensive categories, including RBI (4th), home runs (5th), extra-base hits (77, 7th), total bases (309, T8th), and OPS (.526, 10th).
Originally signed by the Tigers as an international free agent on October 9, 2008, Suárez has played in parts of 12 Major League seasons with Detroit (2014), Cincinnati (2015-21), Seattle (2022-23, ’25) and Arizona (2024-25). Since the start of the 2019 season, he ranks among all Major League batters in games (990, 4th), home runs (227, 6th), and RBI (622, 9th).
In a corresponding move, the Reds designated for assignment C Ben Rortvedt, who was claimed off waivers from the Dodgers on November 12, 2025. Cincinnati’s 40-player roster is at capacity.
