Reds Star Eugenio Suarez Makes Unfortunate List

When the Cincinnati Reds signed Eugenio Suarez during the 2025 offseason, the expectations were high. He was coming off a monster 2025 season that saw him hit 49 home runs and 118 RBIs, and consecutive seasons of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs with Arizona. He was supposed to be the addition that was going to take the Reds' offense to the next level.

It's Been A Disappointing Reunion

Suarez’s final season with the Reds was a rough one, so much so that he was essentially viewed as a throw-in alongside Jesse Winker in the 2022 trade with Seattle, a deal that caused plenty of uproar among the fanbase. Cincinnati acquired Jake Fraley as the centerpiece of its return.

In his final season with the Reds in 2021, Suarez hit just .198 with a .714 OPS. While he still provided plenty of power with 31 home runs, his overall offensive production had taken a significant step backward.

Now, several years later, Suarez is struggling again in Cincinnati. Sporting News recently listed Suarez and the Reds’ season among the 12 biggest disappointments in baseball this year.

The Reds signed the 35-year-old to a one-year deal worth $15 million with a mutual option for the 2027 season. He spent some time on the injured list this season with an oblique injury in April and May, and the offense hasn't shown up in 2026. In 98 games, he's slashing .207/.291/.411. That's a .702 OPS, his lowest since his rookie season with Detroit.

His fly-ball percentage is at 42 percent, his lowest since 2019. His infield fly-ball percentage is at a career high of 13 percent, meaning he's popping the ball up more in the infield, and his out-of-zone swing percentage is at 30 percent, with an overall swing percentage of 46 percent. Last season, he chased more, at 31 percent, but his overall swing percentage was higher at 50 percent.

The Reds were in what some could say "serious talks" with Cincinnati native and true slugger Kyle Schwarber during the offseason. Ultimately, the numbers were out of the Reds' price range, and Schwarber opted to return to Philadelphia. The team decided to pursue Suarez late in free agency and signed him on February 3.

This Season Has Been A Failure

Aug 20, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona (77) walks off the field in between innings in the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Reds sit currently in last place in the National League Central, 19 games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers and eight games back in the Wild Card. The season started out better than anyone could have hoped, going 20-11 and sporting one of the best bullpens in Major League Baseball. Everything changed the moment the calendar flipped to May.

The Reds went 10-17 in May and 9-17 in June, the worst record in the league during that stretch. July looked a little more promising, but the front office decided that they were going to do nothing at the trade deadline, and that plan has backfired. They have lost three out of their last five series, including being swept by the Nationals and losing three out of five to the St. Louis Cardinals at home before a 9-0 loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday night. They have scored four runs or less in five of their last nine games, and the offense, outside of Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, has been non-existent.

In a season that saw such a promising start, this season has been a failure from the top down. The front office doing nothing at the trade deadline is inexcusable, and the production of players being called up is a failure of the coaching staff.

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