The Reds put Eugenio Suárez on waivers in August, watched him go unclaimed and still got to enjoy a few more baseballs launched into the seats. You think someone made him mad? Geno returned to Cincinnati and proved that he still had some thunder left. By the end of the season, he had given bargain shoppers a reason to start calling.

We know how tempting that could look in Seattle. Familiar face and power that could potentially come with a smaller check. Put Suárez back in a Mariners uniform and we can practically hear the welcome-back ovation. But who else would be hitting? Because Geno can’t be the only addition to the Mariners roster if they have any interest in going that route.

A reunion deserves consideration if Suárez reaches the market. But the Mariners would need to build a lineup capable of surviving his cold stretches. Otherwise, they would be buying an affordable bat and handing him a very expensive responsibility.

Eugenio Suárez’s Late Surge Gives Mariners Something to Consider

Charlie Wright’s MLB Trade Rumors assessment lays out the appeal. Suárez finished with 26 home runs in 498 plate appearances, including 12 homers and a 141 wRC+ over his final 46 games. His strikeout rate dipped below 30 percent during that stretch, and he walked in 13.2 percent of his plate appearances.

That closing run covered the final two months, so the turnaround was already underway before he cleared waivers in late August. Cincinnati didn’t accidentally awaken a sleeping giant by making him available. Turns out that the power was already resurfacing.

That creates a reasonable bet for Seattle. There could be another productive season in store for Suárez that could cost less than $15 million, as suggested by Wright. The trouble comes when a reasonable bet starts getting treated like a dependable answer.

Suárez struck out in a career-worst 33.9 percent of his plate appearances this season. An oblique injury interrupted his year, offering some context for the struggles. But it doesn’t erase them. Nor does a strong finish guarantee that a 35-year-old hitter will carry those adjustments through another full season. We can believe in the power and still budget for the strikeouts. Seattle would have to do both.

Mariners Need Enough Lineup Depth to Survive Another Suárez Slump

Picture the version of this signing that actually works. Suárez supplies power farther down the order. Other hitters reach base consistently enough to give those home runs some company. When his timing disappears for a couple of weeks, the Mariners have more credible bats available and enough offense elsewhere to keep moving. What a world, right?

Now picture April arriving with Geno struggling and Seattle waiting for several other hitters to find themselves, too. That’s where the discount stops feeling like a clever investment. A cheaper contract can still leave a team cornered.

Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander would need to account for that before making a reunion part of their winter. Add an established hitter who strengthens the everyday lineup. Give the bench enough offense to make a temporary change useful. Leave room to adjust Suárez’s workload without scrambling for a replacement.

His defensive limitations can’t be ignored either. A role built heavily around DH would consume playing time Seattle could otherwise use to rotate players through the lineup. That spot needs to produce. 

We can enjoy Geno’s return without handing him the burden of fixing the offense. The Mariners would need to earn that flexibility through the rest of their roster construction.

Suárez still has a $16 million mutual option for 2027, and he’s expected to reach free agency. A possible discount gives Seattle something worth evaluating.

If the Mariners bring him back, the next question should be easy to answer: who did they add to make sure this works even when Geno isn’t hitting?