Cincinnati Reds’ Eugenio Suarez Makes Team History During Cubs Series

Eugenio Suarez returned to the Cincinnati Reds this past offseason on a one-year, $15 million contract in what figured to be a perfect reunion. The contract also includes a mutual option for the 2027 season.

The Reds' offense lacked power in 2025, and adding Suarez was seen as the ideal solution to ensure they could compete for a playoff spot once again in 2026. After all, he had just come off one of the best power seasons of his career, smashing 49 home runs split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. The fit made sense on paper.

Unfortunately, Suarez has not provided the Reds what they were looking for, and his struggles have been one of the reasons Cincinnati will head into the All-Star break nine games under .500.

The 34-year-old veteran has posted a .208 batting average, .285 on-base percentage, .673 OPS, 11 home runs and 35 RBIs across 67 games. He has also missed time due to injury, sitting out a month with a left oblique strain.

Entering Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs, Suarez had just 10 home runs on the year, a significant drop-off from the player he was in 2025. However, in the bottom of the third inning, he launched a two-run shot that marked his 11th of the year and moved his name into team history.

"Eugenio Suárez is the 11th player to hit 200 home runs with the Reds," reported C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

A majority of those home runs came during his first stint with Cincinnati from 2015 to 2021, when he enjoyed some of the best years of his career. During that stretch, he collected 189 long balls and earned an All-Star selection back in 2018, establishing himself as one of the more feared power hitters in the National League during that era.

He never won much during his first tenure in Cincinnati, and the goal of coming back this time was specifically to bring playoff baseball back to the city he called home for so long.

That goal appears increasingly unlikely at this point with the Reds sitting where they are, but there is still half a season left and Suarez needs to start being more of a contributor than a liability if Cincinnati has any shot at climbing back into contention.

Sunday was at least a meaningful step in the right direction, and reaching 200 home runs as a Red is a milestone worth recognizing regardless of how the rest of the season unfolds.