Jim Bowden is usually plugged into the most complicated situations on the free-agent market, and this time he didn’t hesitate to explain what’s happening with Eugenio Suárez. According to Bowden, teams don’t trust that Suárez would provide enough trade value later in the season to justify signing him now.
Speaking on Foul Territory, Bowden revealed why Suárez hasn’t received offers: “I talked to a GM this morning from a team that isn’t a non-contender. I asked him, ‘Why don’t you sign Suárez, put him in the lineup, and trade him at midseason for a prospect?’”
The GM told Bowden it wouldn’t be a smart move. “His response to me was, ‘Look at what he did last year, 49 home runs, and when we got to the trade deadline, there wasn’t a market for him. Arizona barely got a decent return.’”
Suárez drawing little interest
According to what the GM told Bowden, Suárez is not drawing real interest around the league. “They’re not pursuing him,” the anonymous GM said during the phone call about the Venezuelan third baseman’s situation.
Bowden added that, in his view, Suárez is not an ideal defensive third baseman for most MLB teams, and he hasn’t logged enough time at first base to be prioritized over younger players or others with more experience at the position.
“Believe it or not, a 49-homers guy doesn’t have a market right now,” Bowden said, highlighting the difficult spot Suárez finds himself in at age 34. Last season marked the second time in his career he hit 49 home runs, the first coming in 2019.
Bowden suggested Boston or Pittsburgh as potential fits, though he noted the Pirates are unlikely to spend, especially on a player like Suárez, and added that a designated hitter role could also be an option.