Yankees Officially In The Mix For Eugenio Suárez Blockbuster
The New York Yankees have checked in on Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suárez as a potential trade deadline target, but they appear to be one of multiple contenders interested in the slugger.
Arizona has yet to commit to selling, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Saturday that the Yankees have inquired. The Yankees and Seattle Mariners are considered the two clubs most aggressively pursuing a deal, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. The Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers could be in the mix as well.
Suárez is slashing .250 with 31 home runs, 78 RBI and an .889 OPS in 95 games — one of the most productive right-handed bats in the National League this season. He has posted a four-homer game this season and enters the stretch run as a potential difference-maker for teams chasing October.
The 34-year-old is on an expiring deal, and while Arizona may not fetch a massive return, his profile still carries plenty of value. He is a proven clubhouse presence and a steady defender at third base, having split recent seasons between the hot corner and designated hitter. His postseason experience and power bat fit the mold of what contenders seek this time of year.
While Suárez has responded positively to Yankees rumors, the Detroit Tigers seem to be as the suitor he would prefer. He made his MLB debut with Detroit in 2014 and has openly stated his desire to return.
“To finish where everything started, it would be cool,” Suárez said earlier this week, as transcribed by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. “It would mean a lot to me.”
The Tigers hold a commanding lead in the American League Central and are positioned to buy. They could use a right-handed power bat at third and are rumored to be weighing multiple options. Suárez, who called Detroit’s current roster “a new team with a lot of young guys and a lot of talent,” would offer both leadership and production.
Whether he lands in the Bronx, returns to Seattle or completes a full-circle reunion in Detroit, Suárez is almost certain to be moved — and wherever he lands, his bat figures to play an important role in the playoff picture.