With the Arizona Diamondbacks beset by injuries and struggling to keep pace in a competitive NL West, it feels like only a matter of time until All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez hits the road. The 34-year-old is on an expiring contract and has quickly made himself the most eligible bachelor of the 2025 trade deadline. He has a .908 OPS and is on track for 48 home runs if he maintains his current pace.
The New York Yankees already bowed out of the pursuit with the Ryan McMahon trade, but plenty of contenders will take a stab at Suárez before the final buzzer on July 31. The D'Backs will not part without a substantial return package, but it shouldn't be too hard to drum up a bidding war for a player with Suárez's capacity for slug.
Of all the potential suitors, here are four realistic trade packages, ranked by their appeal to Arizona.
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4. Milwaukee Brewers
In this scenario, the first-place Milwaukee Brewers operate with uncommon aggressiveness and swipe one of the hottest bats in MLB, adding more firepower to a lineup that does not traditionally slug its way to wins. In return, Arizona addresses a pair of needs, adding a potential long-term rotation arm and a successor to Suárez's crown at third base.
Bishop Letson, 20, is still working his way through High-A and won't touch the majors for a while. The D'Backs might prefer a more ready-made option, but Letson's impressive extension and mechanics give him tremendous upside, with a strong fastball-sinker combo and a slow, sweeping slider.
Brock Wilken, 23, is known for his plus-plus power at the plate. Much in the vein of Suárez, he is a limited base runner and defender, but he can elevate hits in a hurry and drive in runs in the heart of a lineup. He should be closer to his MLB debut and could be replacing Suárez within a few years.
3. Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are neck-and-neck with the Brewers in the NL Central and have every reason to be aggressive. The odds of re-signing Suárez in the offseason are low, as Chicago will commit the majority of its resources to attempting to re-sign Kyle Tucker. Even so, this squad is good enough to reach the mountaintop and should operate as such. Suárez's bat behind Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong would transform the Cubs into a truly elite offensive unit.
Chicago might be able to preserve depth in exchange for quality here, offering one of their five top-100 MLB prospects instead of several less-touted names. That said, this package ought to capture Arizona's interest.
It starts with two Triple-A starters on the MLB fast track in Brandon Birdsell, 25, and Will Sanders, 23. Birdsell took a long and winding road to the big leagues, but he throws with above-average command and unique mechanics that leave hitters guessing, despite mediocre velocity. Sanders won't miss as many bats, but he's 6-foot-6 with plus extension and a gnarly split-finger pitch.
Cole Mathis, 22, is a former two-way star in college who has since committed to hitting full-time in the wake of an elbow injury. He generates solid power and offers optionality at either corner infield position. He's a ways away from the majors in High-A, but he's a smart investment in lieu of Suárez.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a late entrant to the Eugenio Suárez sweepstakes after the recent injury to Alec Bohm. While questions remain about whether or not the Phillies really "need" Suárez, this is a do-or-die season with Kyle Schwarber on the cusp of free agency and so many veterans leaving their primes. Suárez puts much-needed power behind Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the lineup and helps Philadelphia keep pace with New York in the division.
In exchange, the D'Backs receive a package centered on 23-year-old righty Mick Abel, who already made five MLB starts this season with the Phillies. While those appearances were a decidedly mixed bag, he offers big-league stuff and should be close to ready for a full-time spot in the majors. Arizona needs pitching depth in the worst of ways and could call up Abel immediately after the trade.
Arizona also receives long-term upside at the catcher position with 19-year-old Alirio Ferrebus. Known for his powerful swing behind the plate, Ferrebus would join a gaggle of young catchers coming up through the Diamondbacks farm system. Arizona needs to find a long-term solution at the position and Ferrebus, while still several years away from MLB reps, would present the highest upside of the Arizona backstops.
1. Seattle Mariners
No team has more need for another power bat than the Seattle Mariners, who are oh so close to becoming underdog favorites in the American League. The M's already struck a deal with Arizona a few days ago for first baseman Josh Naylor and could level up with the addition of his former corner infield mate, Eugenio Suárez. Just imagine Suárez and Cal Raleigh trading dingers for the next few months.
Seattle also happens to have arguably the best farm system in baseball, so there's really no excuse for Jerry DiPoto to sit this one out. With eight top-100 prospects at MLB Pipeline, Seattle can afford to sacrifice top-shelf talent without disrupting their long-term future. Suárez is almost definitely a rental for the Mariners, but man, what a rental he'd be.
Jurrangelo Cijntje is the highest-rated of the prospects in this article. The 22-year-old is still in High-A, so the D'Backs cannot expect him in the majors next season, but he offers unique upside as a legitimate switch pitcher. While Cijntje tends to throw better as a righty, he has unique release angles and pitch repertoires throwing with either arm. He's undersized at 5-foot-11, but throws hard and is too unique for the Diamondbacks to pass up.
Caleb Cali, 24, is icing on the cake. He's not particularly special at the plate, but Cali offers solid power and the potential to switch between corner infield spots defensively. He's known as a great intangibles guy and should work his way through the farm system sooner than later.