The Arizona Diamondbacks refuse to take a break after a shock trip to the 2023 World Series. The team made a bold move to strengthen their already potent roster Wednesday, acquiring power-hitting third baseman Eugenio Suárez from the Seattle Mariners, according to the Seattle Times.
In exchange for Suárez, the Mariners received pitcher Carlos Vargas and catcher Seby Zavala.
Per sources, Mariners are getting Carlos Vargas and Seby Zavala for Geno Suarez
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) November 22, 2023
Suárez, 32, is coming off a season in which he hit .232/.323/.391 with 22 home runs. Suárez is renowned for his tremendous power, having hit 229 home runs since 2016, tying him with Mike Trout for seventh in the league. The Diamondbacks, having finished 22nd in the league in home runs last season, could greatly benefit from that power. Despite being a solid defensive third baseman, Suárez’s high strikeout rate is a notable flaw, as he led the league in strikeouts last season with 214. His propensity to swing and miss often results in low batting averages, although he somewhat offsets that with a strong walk rate.
The Diamondbacks finished 2023 with the fourth-lowest strikeout rate in baseball, suggesting the team has room to add a high-strikeout bat to its lineup.
Suárez is in the final year of his contract and will earn a little over $11 million in 2024, with a $15 million club option for the 2025 season, potentially keeping him in Arizona for an extra year. Vargas, 24, had a brief stint with the Diamondbacks in April, posting a 7.02 ERA over 42 1/3 innings in Triple-A last season. Zavala, 30, has been primarily a defense-first backup catcher over his career with a career .210/.275/.347 slash line over four seasons in the majors.
