Mariners Land Slugger Eugenio Suárez to go All In on Playoff Push

The Seattle Mariners were expected to be one of the most aggressive teams this trade deadline, and they have not disappointed. With a top farm system, it was clear the front office was fine parting with talent to give themselves a shot at a deep run. As it stands, the Mariners are five games behind the Astros in the AL West and are tied for the last wildcard spot.

After trading with the Diamondbacks to acquire slugging first baseman Josh Naylor, the two teams have doubled down. This time, it’s Seattle acquiring power-hitting third baseman Eugenio Suárez for prospects Tyler Locklear, Hunter Cranton, and Juan Burgos, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Impact of Adding Eugenio Suárez

All of a sudden, the Mariners’ lineup is stacked. Suárez is in the middle of a career year, in which he made his second All-Star team. He has the most RBIs in the MLB (87), and his 36 home runs are the fifth most in the league. The 34-year-old is a big swing-and-miss hitter, but watch out if he gets hold of something, because it will leave the ballpark. The All-Star’s barrel and hard hit rates are among the best in the league, and Suárez should be expected to do damage in the heart of the Mariners’ order.

Their previous addition, Josh Naylor, is no slouch at the plate either. The lefty has put up over a .770 OPS every season since 2022 and has been a catalyst for multiple Guardians lineups. His power numbers are a bit down this season, but he had 31 dingers and 108 RBIs just a year ago. Another major upgrade to the offense.

Currently, Seattle has the fifth most home runs in the MLB. However, it’s realistic that they end the year leading in that category. Cal Raleigh is leading the way in hitting bombs for the M’s, but all of a sudden, you have six guys at the top of the lineup that hit nukes. The additions of both Naylor and Suárez give the Mariners one of the deepest and most lethal lineups in the game. Quite the difference from the struggling offense of the 2024 team.

Pressure on the Mariners to Make the Playoffs

These bold moves don’t come without a cost. The Mariners parted with significant prospect capital in their trades, where both Naylor and Suárez will be set to hit free agency at the end of the season. The goal, while lofty, is clear: bring Seattle its first-ever World Series. But before this team can think about hoisting the trophy, their task at hand is to get to the dance.

There’s serious pressure on this team to make the postseason after buying so heavily this trade deadline. This fan base has been starved for so many years, as it’s been over 20 years since the franchise made a true deep playoff run.

The tough part is that this team has its work cut out. The majority of American League teams are still in the mix to make the postseason. Because of the tight race, Fangraphs gives the M’s a 69.3% to get in.

They’re in a solid spot, but if this team doesn’t make the playoffs, it will be a failure. There’s just no way around it. The pressure is officially on in the Pacific Northwest.

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