The Seattle Mariners' offseason has been solid to this point.

The Mariners kicked off the winter by signing first baseman Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million contract.

Since that first deal, Seattle has added depth to its roster by signing backup catcher Andrew Knizner and outfielder/first baseman Rob Refsnyder to one-year contracts, respectively. Left-handed high-leverage reliever Jose Ferrer was acquired in a trade with the Washington Nationals.

With those aforementioned moves, the Mariners still have holes at second base and third base they need to fill before spring training roles around February. 

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Seattle has in-house options for both positions but have been engaged in free agent and trade discussions involving various players this offseason.

Recently, Mariners general manager Justin Hollander confirmed the team is still engaged in discussions with third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

Entering the offseason, Seattle had three key free agents: Naylor, second baseman Jorge Polanco and Suarez.

It was a common thought that Suarez, who was one of baseball's most prolific home run hitters last season (49), would be the least likely of the trio to return to the Mariners.

Polanco has since signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the New York Mets.

Bringing back Suarez would be a polarizing move for several reasons and there's pros and cons for both sides.

PRO: Familiarity and veteran presence

Suarez was with Seattle from 2022-23 and was reacquired by the club in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31.

The veteran slugger knows his teammates, he knows the city and he's a favorite both in the clubhouse and among fans.

It was reported earlier this season that the Mariners would try to run-it-back in 2026 with a club as similar as possible to the 2025 team that made it to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

Signing Suarez would allow Seattle to do that. As it currently stands, second and third base would likely be won by a combination of young players, such as Ben Williamson, Cole Young, Colt Emerson and Ryan Bliss. Instead of putting the pressure of a starting role on a younger player, Suarez would be able to man the hot corner, as he has in the Mariners' only two playoff seasons since 2001.

CON: Consistency

Suarez finished the year fifth in the majors in home runs. He concluded the year with 91 runs scored in 159 games, and hit 28 doubles and 49 homers with 118 RBIs. He slashed .228/.298/.526 with an .824 OPS.

In the playoffs, Suarez scored four times in 12 games and hit a double and three homers with eight RBIs, including a go-ahead, eighth-inning grand slam in Game 5 of the ALCS. He slashed .213/.275/.426 with a .701 OPS.

Suarez's power came with the caveat of high strikeout numbers. Suarez finished 2025 with a chase rate of 31%, whiff rate of 33.3% and strikeout rate of 29.8%. Those metrics placed him in the 30th, fourth and fifth percentile of baseball, respectively, according to Baseball Savant.

There was also a difference in his numbers with the Diamondbacks compared to the Mariners.

Suarez had a slash line of .248/.320/.576 in 106 games in Arizona compared to one of .189/.255/.428 in 53 games in Seattle.

Suarez's power, which he displayed over the course of the season and in the playoffs, is unique enough that a lot of teams will roll the dice with his strikeout numbers, but there's a clear floor and ceiling and it's hard to gauge how that balances out for the Mariners front office.

OVERVIEW

Suarez currently has a market value of two years, $29.9 million ($15 million AAV) according to Spotrac, which is seemingly within Seattle's ability. That deal was also around what the Mariners would have offered Polanco, according to rumors, making it doable.

The Mariners have already lost a significant amount of power in the lineup with the departure of Polanco. Bringing back Suarez would help keep Seattle one of the better power-hitting teams in the American League.

However, Seattle's top prospect, Emerson, is expected to factor into the team's plans in 2026, and that's something the Mariners need to account for.

A third reunion between Suarez and the Mariners could inspire both excitement and skepticism. With few "home run" players available in free agency and the trade market, maybe the familiarity is exactly what Seattle needs.

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