The Arizona Diamondbacks traded infielder Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners for a return of top prospects Tyler Locklear, Hunter Cranton and Juan Burgos, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Wednesday night.
The right-handed slugger returns to Seattle after spending two seasons there in 2022 and 2023, hitting for a .234 average and .751 on-base plus slugging with 53 home runs and 183 RBIs.
Suarez sits fifth in MLB with 36 home runs and trails Shohei Ohtani by just two for the National League lead.
The 33-year-old has also driven in 78 runs on the strength of a .248 batting average and .898 OPS.
But while Suarez has soared on the season, the Diamondbacks have faltered, falling out of the playoff race and sitting fourth in the NL West at 51-58.
And so the pending free agent is on the move.
After adding Canadian Josh Naylor on the opposite corner of the Diamond, also via Arizona, the Mariners have fully revitalized their lineup that currently ranks 12th in runs scored.
Seattle’s batting order now has the might to match its exceptional pitching rotation that includes current and former all-stars Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and Luis Castillo.
Suarez was a member of Seattle’s last playoff squad that was swept in the ALDS by the Houston Astros in 2022. He also helped the Mariners sweep the Toronto Blue Jays in the wild-card round.
For Suarez’s 12-year career — which also includes stints with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds — he has launched 312 big flies, including a career-high 49 in 2019 with the Reds.
Locklear was the Mariners’ No. 9 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The 24-year-old corner infielder has a thunderous .316/.401/.542 slash line with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs at triple-A this season, yet has struggled during his 16 games in the big leagues.
Cranton and Burgos were ranked No. 16 and No. 17, respectively.
Cranton, a right-handed reliever, has a 0.90 ERA with 14 strikeouts and three walks over 10 innings split between high-A and rookie ball in 2025. Burgos, also a righty bullpen arm, had a 0.87 ERA across the upper minors before getting the call to Seattle for four relief appearances this season.
