With the MLB trade deadline just days away, the clock is ticking, and the entire league seems to be watching one man: Eugenio Suárez. For any team with championship dreams, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ third baseman has become the singular focus, the one player who some thing could single-handedly change a team’s fortunes on offense. He’s the undisputed crown jewel of the trade market, and the question on everyone’s mind is not if he’ll be traded in the next five days, but where he’ll land and what it will cost to get him.
Suárez just having a good year; he’s having a career-defining, historic season. His performance earned him his second All-Star selection and has put him in the company of baseball’s most elite hitters. Through late July, he’s hitting .249, but that number hardly tells the story. His real value is in his power and run production, with a massive .587 slugging percentage, 36 home runs, and a league-leading 87 runs batted in. His .908 OPS is more than 100 points above his career average, and advanced stats show he’s been 45% more productive than a league-average hitter. This isn’t a fluke; it’s a sustained period of dominance, punctuated by a jaw-dropping four-homer game back in April, a feat only 18 other players in history have accomplished. For contenders looking for a middle-of-the-order thumper, it gets even better. Suárez has been lethal with runners in scoring position, hitting .286 with a .659 slugging percentage in those clutch moments. He’s the rare slugger who elevates his game when it matters most.
Beyond the eye-popping numbers, acquiring Suárez comes with a unique insurance policy: his character. In the high-pressure environment of a pennant race, adding a new personality to the clubhouse can be a gamble, but Suárez is known as one of the best teammates in the game. His “good vibes only” mantra is legendary. When he endured a brutal slump in the first half of 2024, a stretch so bad the front office reportedly considered cutting him, his positive attitude never wavered. That ability to lead and stay positive through personal struggle is invaluable and makes him a safe bet to fit into any locker room.
Of course, the reason he’s available is all business. The Diamondbacks have fallen below .500 and are officially in “sell mode,” having already traded first baseman Josh Naylor to Seattle. Suárez is in the final year of his contract, playing on a $15 million option before he becomes a free agent. This makes him the perfect rental. An acquiring team would only have to pay the remainder of that salary for a few months of elite production without any long-term financial commitment. Arizona knows what they have, however, and the asking price is reportedly a “king’s ransom.” They have all the leverage. If no team meets their price, they can simply keep Suárez and give him a qualifying offer in the offseason, which would net them a high-value draft pick if he signs elsewhere. Any trade package has to be significantly better than that draft pick, which is why the bidding is expected to get intense.
The race for Suárez was turned on its head when the New York Yankees, long considered the frontrunner, bowed out by trading for Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon. With the Yankees off the board, the field is wide open. The Chicago Cubs seem like the most logical fit, with a black hole at third base and one of the best farm systems in baseball. They’re preparing for their most aggressive deadline in years, and Suárez would be a game-changing bat for their lineup. The question is whether they’re willing to part with top prospects for a two-month rental.
The Philadelphia Phillies, however, have emerged as a highly motivated suitor out of sheer desperation. After losing their third baseman, Alec Bohm, to a rib fracture, they have an urgent need for a right-handed power bat to protect Bryce Harper. Their interest is serious, and reports indicate the Diamondbacks had a scout specifically watching top Phillies pitching prospect Mick Abel. This is a major tell; Arizona is known to be seeking young, controllable pitching, and the Phillies have exactly the type of player they want.
Here’s the thing, folks: We cannot forget the sentimental favorites. A reunion with the Seattle Mariners, where Suárez played in 2022 and 2023, is a real possibility. They still see him as a top priority and have a proven trade history with Arizona’s front office. A return to the Cincinnati Reds, where he became an All-Star, is also a tantalizing story. The Reds have a desperate need for his bat and a farm system loaded with the young pitchers Arizona covets. The main obstacle is the Reds’ historical reluctance to trade top prospects for rentals. Other teams like the Houston Astros, now in the market after an injury to their own third baseman, and the Detroit Tigers, who boast the best farm system in baseball, remain dark horses.
With that… All signs point to him being traded in the next few days. The competition is too fierce for teams to wait around. While several clubs are in the mix, the combination of deep need, motivation, and matching assets seems to put the Cubs and Phillies in the driver’s seat. The price will be steep, but for the chance to add the most impactful bat on the market and transform a lineup for October, it’s a price one team will almost certainly be willing to pay in the coming days.
If you cannot play with them, then root for them!