The Cincinnati Reds have a plan for Eugenio Suarez as Spring Training approaches.
The Cincinnati Reds are making a statement this offseason by bringing back a familiar power threat to bolster their lineup. Free agent right‑handed slugger Eugenio Suarez has agreed to a one‑year, $15 million contract with Cincinnati for the 2026 season, reuniting him with the club where he spent the most impactful years of his career. The deal also includes a mutual option for 2027, giving both sides flexibility beyond this year.
For the Reds, this signing represents a key addition to a lineup that struggled for consistent offense down the stretch in 2025. Suarez’s track record as one of the most feared right‑handed bats in the National League makes him a natural fit in Great American Ball Park, a venue that has historically favored home run hitters. His return is poised to inject power into a lineup that can now mix youth with established production.
As the club looks toward Spring Training and the regular season, Cincinnati has also outlined how it plans to use Suarez defensively once baseball resumes.
“The #Reds are planning to use Eugenio Suarez at DH, playing some 3B and will get some reps at 1B at spring training,” reported Jim Bowden of The Athletic. That kind of positional flexibility gives manager Terry Francona options as he manages matchups and playing time.
Suarez’s 2025 season was one of the most productive of his 12‑year career. Between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners, he hit 49 home runs, tying his personal high and ranking fifth among all hitters.
The 34‑year‑old owned a .228 batting average, .298 on‑base percentage and .824 OPS across 159 appearances. Over the course of his career, Suarez has been known for his slugging prowess. He has posted 325 career home runs, including 189 with the Reds from 2015 through 2021.
Defensively, Suarez has spent the bulk of his career at third base, though his value in recent years has come more from his bat than his glove. That trend makes his projected role as a designated hitter in 2026 a logical fit.
For Cincinnati, a club that ended the 2025 season with a winning record but offensive shortcomings, adding Suarez could be a pivotal piece in pushing the team further toward sustained postseason contention.
If Suarez’s production carries over from last season, the Reds will have added one of the league’s more reliable power bats to a roster that needed immediate offensive reinforcement.