Arizona Diamondbacks trade for 3B Eugenio Suarez in deal with Mariners
Nov 22, 2023, 12:12 PM | Updated: 12:54 pm
Eugenio Suarez #28 of the Seattle Mariners gives a thumbs up to fans during the game against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park on September 30, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired third baseman Eugenio Suarez from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Carlos Vargas and catcher Seby Zavala, reports the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish and AZCentral’s Nick Piecoro.
The team confirmed the move on Wednesday.
Suarez, 32, is under contract through this coming season with a club option for 2025. He will earn a base salary of $11 million in 2024 before the option worth $15 million for next season.
The veteran slashed .232/.323/.391 with a .714 OPS last year in Seattle.
Suarez recorded 96 RBIs, 22 home runs and 29 doubles last year. He led the majors with 11 sac-flies in 2023, a complementary skill to fit the D-backs’ aggressive baserunning style.
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Why did the Mariners and Diamondbacks trade Eugenio Suarez?
Seattle gets off the significant contract of Suarez and can at least partially fill his spot with recently acquired Luis Urias, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox last week.
For Arizona, Suarez’s availability over the course of his career was likely key in the deal. He’s played at least 140 games in seven of the last eight seasons.
Arizona this past season used a platoon with veteran Evan Longoria, who is a free agent, along with Emmanuel Rivera, Jace Peterson and the since-traded Josh Rojas.
Suarez has played for the Detroit Tigers (2014), Cincinnati Reds (2015-21) and Seattle (2022-23), with one All-Star appearance in 2018.
He has led Major League Baseball in strikeouts in three of the last five years. Part of that is based on his availability, but he last year had the sixth-highest strikeout rate (30.8%).
Suarez also ranked in the top-50 of MLB last season with a 10.1% walk rate.
Vargas appeared in five games for Arizona after making the Opening Day roster, allowing three earned runs in 4.2 innings in his single stint with the MLB club.
Zavala was a midseason acquisition from the Chicago White Sox and played in seven games for the Diamondbacks, recording five hits and two RBIs.
