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Reds banking on 3B Eugenio Suarez with 7-year, $66M deal
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Third baseman Eugenio Suarez agreed to a $66 million, seven-year contract that makes him part of the foundation for the Cincinnati Reds' long-term rebuilding.
The deal announced Friday supersedes the $3.75 million, one-year contract the 26-year-old was awarded when he lost his salary arbitration case last month. There's a team option for 2025 at $15 million -- with a $2 million buyout -- that would make the deal worth $79 million over eight years.
The 26-year-old gets a $2 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office and salaries of $2.25 million this year, $7 million in 2019, $9.25 million in 2020, $10.5 million in 2021 and $11 million each of the next three years.
Cincinnati obtained Suarez from Detroit in December 2014 as part of the trade that sent right-hander Alfredo Simon to the Tigers. Suarez was a shortstop earlier in his career, but the Reds moved him to third base after Todd Frazier was traded.
He has developed into a top third baseman, leading the NL in fielding percentage last season. He also batted .260 and had career highs with 26 homers and 82 RBIs. Suarez and the Reds began talking about a long-term deal before arbitration.
The deal announced Friday supersedes the $3.75 million, one-year contract the 26-year-old was awarded when he lost his salary arbitration case last month. There's a team option for 2025 at $15 million -- with a $2 million buyout -- that would make the deal worth $79 million over eight years.
The 26-year-old gets a $2 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office and salaries of $2.25 million this year, $7 million in 2019, $9.25 million in 2020, $10.5 million in 2021 and $11 million each of the next three years.
Cincinnati obtained Suarez from Detroit in December 2014 as part of the trade that sent right-hander Alfredo Simon to the Tigers. Suarez was a shortstop earlier in his career, but the Reds moved him to third base after Todd Frazier was traded.
He has developed into a top third baseman, leading the NL in fielding percentage last season. He also batted .260 and had career highs with 26 homers and 82 RBIs. Suarez and the Reds began talking about a long-term deal before arbitration.