Mariners Avoid a Costly Eugenio Suárez Reunion After Reds Waiver Result
In this story:
Seattle had a clean shot at Eugenio Suárez on waivers and passed. Honestly, it was probably for the best. Familiarity was doing most of the work in the argument for bringing him back. Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19 reported that Suárez and TJ Friedl went unclaimed and will remain with the Cincinnati Reds. For the Mariners, that means a reunion with one of the most popular players from their recent past is shelved, at least for now.
Suárez carries real sentimental weight in Seattle. He’s a guy that’s easy to root for, and he later returned for the Mariners’ 2025 postseason push. Do we really need to rewrite that history to explain why claiming him in 2026 made little sense?
The Mariners wisely chose not to turn fond memories into a roster strategy. This current version of Suárez is batting .208/.295/.410 with 19 home runs. He has struck out in 34.9 percent of his plate appearances. At 35, his mistakes are swallowing too much of his damage. One swing can still put a charge into the night. But the empty at-bats can bury an entire week.
Mariners Keep Nostalgia in Check After Reds Keep Eugenio Suárez
Seattle knows the full experience. Geno’s glove makes it even harder to sell. Suárez has a -5 Defensive Runs Saved and -7 Outs Above Average in only 315 innings at third base. Those grades reduce him to a DH or bench bat wearing an old third baseman’s label.
But ultimately, the money is probably the biggest reason the Mariners didn’t think twice about. Suárez is still owed roughly $2.57 million this season. That figure is hardly outrageous by major league standards, which made the waiver claim sound tempting. The larger bill would have arrived in plate appearances, defensive flexibility and a roster spot during the final month.
Could Suárez catch fire for two weeks and make every skeptical word look foolish? Absolutely. He’s still wildly streaky, and he hit a grand slam immediately before this waiver episode. That possibility has always been part of the Geno experience. It’s just a rotten foundation for a late-season roster decision.
Cincinnati could place him on waivers again before the September 1 postseason-eligibility deadline. His remaining salary would fall to about $2.24 million by August 31. But ultimately, this is about the Reds trying to dump salary before the season is over. Nothing more than that.
Seattle’s front office doesn’t earn any credit or anything here. Declining a struggling veteran whom every other club also passed over doesn’t fix anything.
The restraint was admirable though. We can appreciate what Suárez gave Seattle without pretending the old version is waiting to come home.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Tremayne Person is the Publisher for Mariners On SI and the Site Expert at Friars on Base, with additional bylines across FanSided’s MLB division. He founded the Keep It Electric podcast in 2023 and covers baseball with a blend of analysis, context, and a little well-timed side-eye just to keep things honest. Tremayne grew up a Mariners fan in Richmond, Va., and that passion ultimately led him to move to Seattle to cover the team closely and become a regular at home games. Through his writing, he connects with fans who want a deeper, more personal understanding of the game. When he’s not at T-Mobile Park, he’s with his dog, gaming, or finding the next storyline worth digging into.
Follow TremaynePerson