Eugenio Suarez' reflects on being traded by the Seattle Mariners: "It’s a heartbreaker"
The Seattle Mariners have traded infielder Eugenio Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for backup catcher Seby Zavala and promising reliever Carlos Vargas. In light of this move, RHP Ryan Jensen is designated for assignment to make room for two new acquisitions to the 40-man roster.
This move is also in line for a shift by the Mariners from strikeouts to more contact. Earlier this offseason, they didn't extend a qualifying offer to Teoscar Hernández after his dismal strikeout ratio. Both Hernandez and Suarez ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, in strikeout rate last season among 133 qualified hitters.
Following the trade, Eugenio Suarez was grateful to the Mariners and said he knew that the move was around the corner:
“I heard some rumors earlier this month, but I understand the game,” Suárez said in an interview with MLB.com. “I understand the business and all that stuff. For me, it’s a heartbreaker, but I have appreciated everything that Seattle has done for me – all the fans.
“It’s going to be hard,” Suárez said. “I made great relationships with J.P. [Crawford], Ty [France], Julio [Rodríguez] -- everybody in the clubhouse. I’m going to miss those guys a lot. It’s hard for me to say goodbye, but like I said, I understand the game and I understand the business.”
Eugenio Suarez's stint with the Mariners
The Reds sent Suárez and Jesse Winker to the Seattle Mariners on March 14, 2022, in exchange for Justin Dunn, Jake Fraley, Brandon Williamson and Connor Phillips. Suarez slashed .236/.332/.459 with a league-leading 196 strikeouts in the 2022 season.
Suarez struggled offensively in 2023, slashing .232/.323/.391 (.714 OPS) with 22 home runs after hitting 31 in each of the previous two seasons. His worth was still reflected in his glove, which was among the best in the American League and which he used in all 162 games.
It remains to be seen if the 32-year-old will have a rebound year with the Diamondbacks, who just made it to the World Series in 2023. However, he now moves in a more competitive NL West, including the likes of LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants.