The Seattle Mariners are shaping up to be one of the most interesting teams to watch this offseason. With free agents such as Josh Naylor, Jorge Polanco, and Eugenio Suárez, the club has several decisions to make, though it’s unlikely they’ll be able to bring back all three.
Early in the offseason, Seattle locked up Naylor with a major five-year contract, a move that likely signals Suárez will be playing elsewhere in 2025.
According to a recent projection from Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly, Suárez is expected to leave the Mariners and sign a two-year, $43 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
“Suárez turned 34 in July, and has some limitations defensively at third base, as evidenced by the fact that he posted minus-six defensive runs saved and minus-three outs above average this past season,” Kelly wrote. “Those factors will likely limit him to a two-year deal, even though he’s coming off of the second 49-homer season of his career. The Angels—a team that needs a third baseman and power bat—make quite a bit of sense.
“Suárez hit 189 home runs during parts of seven seasons with the Reds, and a return to Cincinnati would make sense offensively for a team that needs to add a big veteran bat. However, he would have to be willing to spend the bulk of his time at DH and/or first base, because for all of Ke’Bryan Hayes’ offensive limitations, he’s arguably the best defender in all of baseball, so they aren’t moving him off third base.”
Suárez remains one of the premier power bats in the game, and with the Angels consistently trying to push themselves into contention, pursuing a major free agent this offseason would be a logical move.
Bringing Suárez into the heart of their lineup would provide a significant offensive lift. He may prefer a contract longer than two years, but given his age, that’s probably unrealistic.
While several clubs are likely to pursue the veteran third baseman, the Angels appear well-positioned to make a strong push to bring him to Los Angeles.
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