The largest contract Mariners should offer for an Eugenio Suárez reunion

Because of a lack of compelling and affordable options at the hot corner, the current assumption is that Seattle will have to make it work with one of the young players they already have. That may sound discouraging at first, but outside of Alex Bregman, other free agents like Yoán Moncada and Isiah Kiner-Falefa hardly seem like needle movers. Even the trade market for the position is quite lopsided in favor of the seller.

But recently, the Mariners' attitude has shifted and the club now seems more open to reuniting with Eugenio Suárez. This should come as a surprise given how disappointing he was in the second half of 2025 as well as the playoffs. He posted a 94 OPS+ across 220 plate appearances with Seattle and had a lukewarm OPS of .700 across 51 postseason plate appearances. Although he tied his single-season record for home runs (49), the same whiff and strikeout issues held him back from contributing more to the team.

What is the largest contract Mariners should offer for an Eugenio Suárez reunion?

Nonetheless, the pop is something this Mariners lineup could use. Only four Mariners hit more than 20 home runs last year and one of them was Jorge Polanco, who departed in free agency. In fact, despite logging just over 50 games, Suárez hit the fifth-most home runs (13) on the team. So even though he's far from perfect, he still has some upside.

The challenge then becomes determining a fair price for his services. MLB Trade Rumors estimated that he'd sign a contract in the realm of three years, $63 million, which is likely way out of Seattle's comfort zone. Assuming the money would be split evenly across the deal, that $21 million salary would make him the second-highest paid member of the team.

Instead, the Mariners would likely feel more comfortable making an offer similar to one given to Munetaka Murakami. Both players are dragged down by concerns about their abilities to make contact and utilize their power. Murakami has less experience against big league pitching, but he's also younger than Suárez who will be a few months shy of 35 years old by Opening Day 2026. Even with all of his early offseason hype and youthful vitality, Murakami ended up signing for just $34 million over two years, which means that amount may still be an overpay for Suárez.

It also depends on whether the Mariners hope to play him at third base regularly or relegate him to primarily serving as the lineup's designated hitter. If the organization wants to give more runway to young talents like Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson, this could be a win/win scenario as lower defensive responsibility should theoretically elevate Suárez's offensive capabilities. While more of a clear value add for the team, designated hitters simply aren't worth as much as other position players, and it would make Mitch Garver's $24 million contract a better comparison than Murakami's.

Ultimately, Seattle shouldn't cross the two-year, $30 million threshold. Too much money limits the investments the organization can make in other more impactful talent while a longer contract at a lower average annual value could inhibit the development of the Mariners' top infield prospects. The market for Suárez has been somewhat quiet so Seattle could get away with it, but with this financial ceiling, it'd be surprising if they ended up being the highest bidder in a competitive auction.