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Adjusting to the new Eugenio Suárez
When Mariner President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto made a bombshell trade with the Cincinnati Reds last spring, the initial thought was Eugenio Suarez was a salary dump. All-star outfielder Jesse Winker was considered the headliner. Fast forward a year later, and the roles have reversed. Winker is toiling in Milwaukee, while Suarez provides a veteran presence in the middle of the Mariner order. A deeper dive into the 31-year-old third baseman's 2023 campaign unveils some exciting developments that might help right the ship after the team's slow start.
Geno Development #1: Hitting with Authority
Hitting with authority is usually the recipe for avoiding prolonged slumps; ask Teoscar Hernandez and Julio Rodriguez, two hitters who landed in the MLB Top 10 in hard-hit rate last season. Both all-stars frequently have exit velocities above 95 mph and continue to do so this season. According to Fangraphs, Suarez's average exit velocity is at the second highest of his career (90.9), with his max a blistering 110.2 miles per hour.
Eugenio Suarez - Seattle Mariners (2)
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) April 16, 2023
pic.twitter.com/p0pxFcwDiE
He's always hit with some power, but the telling stat is the 45.1% hard-hit rate, his highest in the past four seasons.
Geno Development #2: Less three outcomes
Eugenio Suarez has always been a true three-outcome player. That means he'll walk a little, mash a few homers, and strike out a lot. But, small sample size be damned, this season feels slightly different.
Three Outcomes | Percentages |
|---|---|
Walk | 5.0% |
Strikeout | 28.7% |
Homer | 1HR every 40 AB |
While the strikeouts and homers are down, so is the walk rate. These stats mean Suarez puts the ball in play at career-high rates. Combine this adjustment with the hard-hit rate, and we might see sustained success in more traditional categories (BA, OBP).
Geno Development #3: Line drives are up
Manager Scott Servais is penciling Suarez in the third spot in the lineup, and as many of you know, that is a crucial run-producing role. With superstar Julio Rodriguez and on-base machine Ty France ahead of him, the RBI opportunities are there, but what is Suarez doing with those chances?
One thing he isn't doing is flying out to the warning track in these critical moments. This data suggests a concerted adjustment to a line drive-centric approach mainly because his launch angle (15.8) is his lowest since 2018. This change in approach could pay big dividends for Suarez, especially at home, where the Marine Layer wreaks havoc on fly balls to the gaps.
A little over a year into his tenure, Eugenio Suarez has become a clubhouse leader and lightning rod of positivity for this club. If he can sustain the hard-hit rate, continue to drop the strikeouts, and put the ball in play with a line-drive approach, there is no telling where this offense could go. The sky is the limit.