Suárez spoke before the last game of the season about wanting another year in Cincinnati, and now the front office has a $16 million choice to make.
The first big call of the Cincinnati Reds offseason involves a player who had one of the most up-and-down seasons on the roster, and designated hitter Eugenio Suárez already knows where he stands.
Before the Reds closed their season with a 5-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, Suárez talked about his hope to come back in 2027.
Two Very Different Halves
Cincinnati signed Suárez to a one-year, $15 million deal on Feb. 3 after he hit 49 home runs in 2025 for Arizona and Seattle, and he was supposed to be the power bat that pushed the lineup forward.
It did not work early, as he hit poorly in the first half and missed 25 games with a strained left oblique.
He turned it around in the summer.
Since July 7, Suárez hit 18 home runs in 64 games, which MLB.com said was seventh-most in the majors in that stretch, and he reached a career milestone with his 350th home run on Sept. 22 in Atlanta.
He finished the year with 26 home runs, 74 RBI and a .740 OPS in 125 games, though he hit just .212.
What Suárez Wants
Suárez sat out the final game, and he did not hide his feelings about his future when he spoke on Sunday in Toronto.
"Of course, you always want to be back," he said. "I'm not going to change my thoughts. They obviously know I want to be back, but we never know. I'll just let them do their job and we're ready to come back if they give me the opportunity to be back."
He also admitted it was not the year he wanted, and he pointed to the bad first half and his injury as the reasons his numbers fell short.
The contract includes a $16 million mutual option for 2027 with no buyout, so both sides have to pick it up for him to return.
MLB.com's Mark Sheldon wrote that it seems unlikely the club will exercise its side.
Why the Reds Should Let It Go
The Reds went 75-87 and finished fifth in the National League Central, eight fewer wins than the 83 they won in 2025, and their lineup finished last in the majors in both batting average at .229 and on-base percentage at .305.
President of baseball operations Nick Krall, who is expected back in 2027, took the blame for the season on Sept. 13 and said the team has to make better decisions as an organization, and MLB.com listed the Suárez signing among the moves that did not pay off as expected.
Paying $16 million for a .212 hitter is not the type of better decision Krall was talking about.
The second half was real, but the Reds need hitters who get on base, and that money would go further on one who does.
Cincinnati also has other calls to make, including reliever Emilio Pagán, who could decline his own option this fall.
Suárez is a fan favorite in Cincinnati, and a smaller deal would make sense for both sides.
At $16 million, though, the smart move is to decline the option and try to keep him on a cheaper deal.
