Former Mariners slugger is making fans desperate for a trade reunion

If you had asked a Seattle Mariners fan who their favorite player was during the 2023 season, chances are one of three names would have come up: Julio Rodríguez, Ty France or Eugenio Suárez.

It is no surprise that Suárez quickly became a fan favorite in Seattle. He brought charm and energy to the team that was badly needed, and played a key role in their 2022 playoff run, which broke the 20-year drought.

When he was flipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks in November of 2023 in exchange for Carlos Vargas and Seby Zavala, many Mariners fans were understandably upset.

A reunion with Eugenio Suárez would be a dream come true for Mariners fans

Now, with Suárez enjoying his second strong offensive season in Arizona, Mariners fans are starting to wonder if a reunion with the third baseman could be in order.

Suárez, for his part, is putting up good offensive numbers, as he often does. He's slugging at a .504 clip, with 16 home runs, 13 doubles and 46 RBI. His 124 OPS+ is the best he's hit since 2022 with the Mariners.

For their part, the Mariners are in need of offense. With the team currently in the middle of a four-game losing stretch, fans are clamoring for Jerry Dipoto to swing a trade for a bat. Ben Williamson, the Mariners' third baseman, holds a lackluster .243/.277/.297 slashline, good for an OPS+ of just 70.

Suárez would clearly be an upgrade over Williamson, right? Yes, but it's not as massive of an upgrade as the offensive numbers imply. Even with his impressive start at the dish, Suárez has accumulated just 1.2 bWAR this season due to his poor defensive metrics. On the other hand, Williamson has still managed to put up 0.3 bWAR, because of his strong defense.

The Mariners could also use Suárez at DH, however. With Jorge Polanco slumping and Mitch Garver becoming a non-factor, perhaps the M's would view Suarez as a DH replacement.

The problem would come down to cost. Suárez is owed $15 million this season, and it feels unlikely that Arizona would trade him unless Seattle is willing to pay at least a third of his salary. Do the Mariners have that kind of money to spend in a trade?

The team balked at spending in free agency this offseason (aside from the reunion with Polanco and a cheap contract to Donovan Solano), and it's hard to know if they will be willing to spend in a trade. If they do have a limited budget, a Suárez trade likely would be their only possible move at the deadline.

With the team likely needing a bullpen arm, a rotation arm and multiple bats, the price on Suárez might just be too steep. Still, it's worth hoping for. Geno could inject good vibes back into the clubhouse, and who doesn't love a family reunion?