Padres’ Offseason Gets Worse as Eugenio Suárez Signs With Reds

The Padres have missed out on another free-agent target, as Eugenio Suárez agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds. The news comes just one day after Padres manager Craig Staimman confirmed that Gavin Sheets will play first base in 2026, leaving a massive opening at designated hitter in the Padres lineup.

It is incredible how small of a contract Suárez received, and losing him to a National League rival chasing the Padres in the standings is a major blow to the team’s 2026 outlook. Despite finishing seven games ahead of the Reds last season and securing the fifth seed in the playoffs, the Padres’ postseason outlook continues to worsen as the offseason drags on.

Just yesterday, the team lost contact star Luis Arraez to division rival San Francisco on a similar one-year deal. The Suárez signing now represents yet another NL rival that has improved this offseason.

Last season, Suárez put together one of the most dominant offensive campaigns of the past decade. He hit 49 home runs, drove in 118 and posted a 125 wRC+. His free-agency outcome has been one of the most fascinating storylines of the offseason. Despite coming off a dominant year, he was only able to secure a deal worth just $3 million more than the contract Arraez signed (one year/$12 million).

Given his power-heavy profile, it’s natural to assume Suárez is a poor defender, but that’s not the case. He had a down defensive year in 2025, grading at a mediocre minus-0.7 outs above average on FanGraphs, but was a plus-5.2 defender in 2024 and a plus-9.7 defender in 2023. In the right season, he can be a Gold Glove-caliber player in addition to his offensive impact.

It’s frustrating that the Padres, who have a glaring hole at DH and flexibility at third base with Manny Machado expected to DH more in 2026, were unable to bring in Suárez. Given his defensive value and offensive ceiling, he was expecting a contract closer to four years and $100 million. Instead, he will have to prove his value once again in a Reds uniform.

Preller’s failed pursuit of Suárez ultimately stems from a payroll that remains capped at last season’s number. Ownership has maintained its commitment to a top-10 payroll but has not been willing to push that figure higher.

In a league that includes teams like the White Sox and Marlins, you have to appreciate the Padres’ organizational commitment to winning and spending. Still, it is difficult to watch NL rivals such as the Dodgers and Mets spend aggressively while the Padres have gotten considerably worse over the course of the offseason.

As of now, the Padres have lost Arraez, Dylan Cease, Robert Suárez and Ryan O’Hearn in free agency, while retaining Michael King and adding Sung-Mon Song, along with a handful of minor league signings.

Preller has a history of striking deals late in the offseason - even during spring training - but at this point, it has been a disastrous offseason for the Padres. If Preller doesn’t act aggressively, the team could be on the outside of the postseason picture in 2026.