Eugenio Suárez Has Turned Around His First Season With the Diamondbacks
It took a bit of time for Eugenio Suárez to find his swing in the desert, but the Diamondbacks' third baseman was terrific in July.
When Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen traded with the Seattle Mariners for third baseman Eugenio Suárez, he was checking off an item on a shopping list designed to shore up the National League champions’ roster.
Yes, they knew Suárez tended to strike out — a career 27.1% K% is a pretty clear indicator. However, his defensive chops were solid (if not Gold-Glove worthy), and he had 25.2 career fWAR entering the 2024 season.
The D-backs hoped he would provide reliable defense and more offensive pop than they found at third base in 2023.
It’s safe to say that it’s taken a bit of time for Suárez to find his swing in the desert.
In March/April, he had a wRC+ of 89; in May, that number was 41; in June, he earned a (not nice!) 69. In addition, his K% ballooned to 31.2%, and the hits just weren’t coming. Suárez had two homers in March/April, another two in May, and two more in June.
The lack of production was disappointing.
Fans were clamoring for Suárez to be DFA’d, and solving the third base problem was surely on Hazen’s mind as the trade deadline approached.
Because of injuries, a Wild Card-focused D-backs team was playing with a thin margin for error. They needed more from Suárez: Would Hazen replace his third baseman?
In July, Suárez provided a rather definitive answer.
Last month, he earned a wRC+ of 206 (you read that correctly), including 10 home runs.
He also provided six doubles, 10 walks, and 27 RBI. His K% dropped to a respectable 25.3%. The numbers are a bit staggering.
“I’m not trying to hit homers,” Suárez told Reuters. “When you have good at-bats, the result is going to be there at some point.”
Indeed, the results have been clear. In addition, fans have come to re-evaluate Suárez’s place on the D-backs:
Currently, Suárez ranks sixth on the D-backs roster in terms of fWAR (1.8), and his 16 home runs put him second only to Ketel Marte and Christian Walker. His season wRC+ is 101, which is just over league average.
If Suárez can continue to be productive, it will go a long way in helping a D-backs team in the thick of a Wild Card hunt.
Mike Hazen took several steps at the trade deadline, adding relievers A.J. Puk and Dylan Floro as well as first baseman Josh Bell to back up an injured Christian Walker. But Eugenio Suárez’s numbers suggested no change was needed at third base.
He’s on pace for a slightly lower fWAR than last year’s 3.3 figure, but if Suárez can continue at this level, he’s on track to be a significant contributor to a 57-51 D-backs team with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in their sights.
Stats and records updated prior to games on July 31.
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Renee Dechert writes about baseball -- mostly the Colorado Rockies. Find her writing on Just Baseball, Purple Row, and Pitcher List.