Mariners' $72 Million Slugger Projected To Bolt For Deal With NL Club

The Seattle Mariners took the baseball world by storm at the trade deadline when they swung a pair of trades with the Arizona Diamondbacks to acquire sluggers Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez. Down the stretch, both of these stars were crucial to the Mariners' division title and postseason push.

Naylor was one of the best sluggers in the American League down the stretch. He quickly solidified himself as a staple in their lineup and the Mariners opted to pay him as such. Naylor was signed to a huge new deal this offseason.

But the Mariners lost Jorge Polanco in free agency, while Suárez remains on the open market. Polanco agreed to a deal with the New York Mets, which is a crushing blow for the Mariners. But they could still look to bring back Suárez.

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However, Paul Connor of SportsGrid recently predicted Suárez would ditch the Mariners and sign a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason.

Eugenio Suárez could be the perfect fit for the Pirates

Seattle Mariners infielder Eugenio Suáre — Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) argues a called third strike with home plate umpire Quinn Wolcott in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

"Power surge (49 HR), but .298 OBP and declining defense; short-term value as aging slugger," Connor wrote.

The Pirates are seemingly ready to buy this offseason. They reportedly put in a competitive bid for slugger Kyle Schwarber, but it wasn't enough to sway the MVP candidate away from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Now the Pirates could pivot to Suárez and the fit makes perfect sense.

He's projected to sign for $72 million, per Jim Bowden of The Athletic. This kind of price tag would fit the Pirates and their payroll a lot better than the money they offered Schwarber.

The biggest hole on the Pirates roster is power in their lineup. Suárez is potentially the best slugger left on the market and he fits in their payroll. Considering the fact that the Pirates have already shown they're willing to be aggressive, this idea makes perfect sense.

But there's a difference between the idea making sense and the idea coming to fruition. The Pirates will need to take a big leap to add Suárez.

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