Mariners land All-Star 3B Eugenio Suarez in big swing

Published 10:53 am Thursday, July 31, 2025

Consider the good vibes restored.

Eugenio Suarez’s big swings and bigger smile are back in town.

The Mariners reportedly acquired the Diamondbacks All-Star and former Seattle third baseman from Arizona on Wednesday night, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, taking the MLB trade deadline’s biggest swing for the market’s premier bat. Neither club has confirmed a deal that’s pending medical reviews.

A fan favorite has returned to the Emerald City, bringing undeniable pop to a new-look lineup and completing president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s trade-deadline wish list. Suarez, 34, was the unquestioned top available hitter ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, co-leading MLB with 87 RBI and tied with Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.

Wondering if the Mariners are all-in? Suarez’s acquisition puts all doubt to bed. In 105 games for the Diamondbacks this season, the two-time All-Star slashed .248/.321/.577 with 36 home runs (fifth in MLB), 87 RBI (tied for first), 29 walks, and 116 strikeouts. Arizona’s fourth-place position (51-58) in a loaded National League West thrusted them into sell-mode, sparked by last week’s trade that sent infielder Josh Naylor to Seattle.

“We’re thrilled to bring Geno back to Seattle,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said. “He’s the type of person, player and energizer to push us to the level we want to reach.”

The Mariners first acquired Suarez and OF Jesse Winker in a March 2022 trade with the Cincinnati Reds — and though the latter headlined the return, Geno’s ‘Good Vibes Only’ quickly stole the show.

Suarez launched 31 home runs in the magical 2022 season that snapped Seattle’s two-decade postseason drought, soon establishing himself as Kyle Seager’s replacement at the hot corner. In 2023, the homers dipped (22 HR) and the strikeouts spiked to a league-worst 214, spurring a Nov. 2023 trade that sent Suarez to Arizona.

Suarez’s 248 home runs since 2018 pace major league third basemen in that span, tallying 1,396 career hits in 12 career seasons with Detroit (2014), Cincinnati (2015-21), Seattle (2022-23) and Arizona (2024-25). His 312 career homers rank third-most among Venezuelan-born players in MLB history.

To reacquire the revamped slugger, the Mariners shipped first baseman Tyler Locklear, right-handed reliever Juan Burgos, and minor-league right-hander Hunter Cranton to Arizona, a package of three top-20 prospects that solidifies Seattle’s all-in approach before trades halt Thursday afternoon (3 p.m. PDT). MLB.com first reported the return.

Locklear, 24, made his MLB debut for the Mariners on June 9, 2024, the clear headliner as Seattle’s No. 9 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Recalled from Triple-A Tacoma roughly nine hours before news of the Suarez trade first spread, Locklear was set to make his season debut for the Mariners when OF Luke Raley (back spasms) landed on the 10-day injured list. He’ll fly to greet new Diamondbacks teammates instead.

Amid his best stretch in Triple-A this season, Locklear boasted a .422 batting average and .807 slugging percentage in July, including nine of his 19 home runs. Seattle’s second-round pick in 2022 slashed .316/.401/.542 with 82 RBI in 98 games for the Rainiers in 2025.

Cranton, 24, went 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in eight appearances (8 IP) for High-A Everett this season, striking out 11 and walking three as Seattle’s No. 16 overall prospect. The Mariners selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Burgos, 25, was Seattle’s No. 17 prospect and signed with the Mariners as an international free agent in 2019. He appeared in four games for the Mariners this season, posting a 4.05 ERA with two walks and eight strikeouts.

“The addition of Geno is incredibly impactful on the field and in our clubhouse.” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said. “We are beyond thrilled to welcome Geno and his family back to the Mariners!”

Before the Mariners made MLB’s largest trade-deadline splash, Seattle acquired left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier Wednesday in exchange for minor-league right-hander Jeter Martinez.

And Seattle’s all-in move to reacquire Suarez reunites him with Diamondbacks infielding mate Josh Naylor, traded to the Mariners last Thursday in a deal that sent southpaw Brandyn Garcia and minor-league right-hander Ashton Izzi to Arizona.

Suarez is in the final year of his seven-year, $66 million contract and will become a free agent after the 2025 season.