The Seattle Mariners took a huge risk at the trade deadline by trading for Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez. Both players sat on expiring contracts.
The Mariners added both of them at the deadline and they helped push Seattle toward a World Series. Unfortunately, the Mariners fell short of a title. Even worse, it could lose both players to free agency.
Just Baseball’s Ryan Finkelstein recently predicted Suárez would sign a three-year, $70 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason.
Eugenio Suárez could ditch the Mariners in free agency
“It is probably unfair to say that Eugenio Suarez’s 2025 season looks better on paper than it does in contract negotiations, but thus is the harsh reality of being a trade deadline star,” Finkelstein wrote. “Suarez was billed as the best bat moved at the trade deadline, as he hit 36 home runs with a 141 wRC+ across 106 games played with the Diamondbacks. Then came the trade back to Seattle, and Suarez managed to his just .189/.255/.428, across 53 games spent with the Mariners. Geno still blasted 16 home runs for Seattle, with the final three coming in the playoffs.
“None bigger then in Game 5 of the ALCS, when Suarez hit a go-ahead grand slam that put the D-Backs one win away from the World Series. Unfortunately for Suarez and the Mariners, that would be the last game they won in the 2025 season. Put it altogether and Suarez hit over 50 home runs in the calendar year of 2025. Teams are going to be after his services on the free agent market, especially with no qualifying offer attached. The only question is how teams will view Suarez as he enters his age-34 season.”
Suárez was one of the best power hitters in the league, but he doesn’t provide much with the glove and he’s on the older side now. It’s unlikely he’ll sign for any more than $100 million, so a three-year, $70 million deal would make a lot of sense.
The Diamondbacks could still push for the postseason going forward, despite a disappointing finish to the season this year. Adding Suárez on a big deal would fit the team perfectly, especially if Ketel Marte is on the trade block.
