The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, and the name on seemingly everybody's lips right now is Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez. With all due respect to names like Jarren Duran, Luis Robert Jr., Ryan O'Hearn and his own teammate Josh Naylor, Suarez is easily the most impactful hitter that could reasonably be available before July 31: Another homer on Monday night gave him an NL-leading 36 on the year, and he currently leads the Majors with 86 RBI. He's one of the most dangerous sluggers in the league right now, and those kinds of players don't hit the trade block midseason very often.
It's still unclear just how willing Arizona is to part ways with Suarez, but at 5.5 games back of the third and final NL Wild Card spot, they probably should be. Which begs the question: Where might he wind up? Seemingly every buyer has been linked to him at some point over the last few weeks; let's take another lap around the rumor mill to see which way the wind is blowing right now.
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Eugenio Suarez rumors: Cubs eying Ryan McMahon as a backup plan
The more Suarez mashes and the closer we get to July 31, the more desperate contenders become to add what looks like the one real impact bat on the maret. And the more desperate contenders become, the higher Arizona's asking price rises, forcing some to try and pivot elsewhere for a cheaper option.
The Chicago Cubs appear to be doing just that: According to ESPN's Buster Olney, Jed Hoyer and Co. "could have interest" in the Colorado Rockies third baseman, with an eye toward pairing him with the righty-hitting Matt Shaw to form a platoon that winds up being greater than the sum of its parts.
It's not the worst idea, considering how badly McMahon has struggled against southpaws both this year (.612 OPS vs. lefties compared to .744 vs. righties) and over the course of his career (.687 vs. .785). Plus, it would ease the burden a bit on Shaw, who's looked a bit overwhelmed by righty pitching so far in his rookie season (.551 OPS). But his OPS against lefties (.753) is nearly 200 points higher; maybe the Cubs can come somewhere close to Suarez's production in the aggregate without breaking the bank.
Eugenio Suarez rumors: Mariners emerge as strong contender
So far, most of the Suarez speculation has revolved around the same handful of playoff contenders in need of righty thump at third base, most especially the Cubs, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. But recently a new suitor has emerged: the Seattle Mariners, which the Seattle Times reports have "engaged in preliminary discussions" involving the third baseman.
The Mariners know Suarez well, as called Seattle home for both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Seattle currently occupies the second AL Wild Card spot, and they're also only five games back of the Houston Astros in the AL West. With one of the deepest rotations in baseball, they could very well make a run with a bit more offensive firepower.
Which is, of course, where Suarez comes in: He knows how to overcome the pitcher-friendly confines of T-Mobile Park, and he'd be a huge boost to a Mariners team that has been stuck with Ben Williamson at the hot corner for much of the year. Seattle has also become a pitching factory of late, and with Arizona looking for young arms to help them bounce back in 2026, this could be a sneaky match.
Eugenio Suarez rumors: Historic pace could keep pushing Arizona's asking price
Any team looking to land Suarez is facing a bit of a catch-22 right now. Yes, they want him to keep on hitting, but they also know that each home run will only embolden the D-backs more when it comes to trade negotiations. Olney calls him "the most impactful player to move this month," and it's hard to disagree with that assessment: He's not a spectacular third baseman, but he can hold the position down, and he's currently on pace to clear the 50-homer mark this season. That kind of bat simply doesn't come available midseason all too often.
Which means that Arizona is going to want one heck of a haul, even with the fact that Suarez is set to become a free agent this winter. They're holding all the cards here; if you want a bat that can move the needle in a playoff chase, he's more or less the only game in town, and it just so happens that a ton of would-be contenders also find themselves in need of help at third base specifically (even the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays could talk themselves into upgrades at that spot).
At this point, it seems likely that Arizona will pull the trigger on a deal; their path to the playoffs is too fraught, and Suarez's performance is too other-worldly to pass on selling high. The Los Angeles Dodgers gave up five prospects for Manny Machado at the 2018 deadline; obviously they're different players, but that could be a good starting point here.