Reds disaster at third base just reopened the door for this fan favorite

Christian Encarnacion-Strand's errant throw caught the attention of Cincinnati Reds fans on Tuesday night. The error in the sixth inning kept the Minnesota Twins in the game, and Harrison Bader's home run two batters later even gave them the lead. Thankfully, Cincinnati rallied and won the game by the final score of 6-5.

Though he came up through the minors playing the position, Encarnacion-Strand is not a third baseman. Terry Francona, however, continues to trot out Spencer Steer at first base due his above-average defense. Unfortunately, Steer's bat has been deathly silent this season. Santiago Espinal is an elite-level defender, but has proven time and time again that he's little more than a platoon bat against left-handed pitching.

Add to the complexity of the Reds' third base woes the questionable play of Jeimer Candelario (once he returns from the IL) and the injury status of Noelvi Marte, and Cincinnati has four infielders — none of whom are equipped to handle the hot corner with regularity. Third base may be Cincinnati's biggest area of need at the MLB trade deadline, and a former fan-favorite could fill the void.

Reds disaster at third base just reopened the door for reunion with Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suárez is in the final year of his contract — ironically it's the one he signed with the Reds — and is likely to be a hot name at this year's MLB trade deadline. The Arizona Diamondbacks haven't become sellers quite yet, but with Suárez, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly in their walk-years, the D-backs could be sitting on a gold mine. Throw in the fact that Corbin Burnes and Jordan Montgomery are out for the season, and it's looking more and more like Arizona could be sellers before the July 31 deadline.

Suárez strikes out a lot, yes, but he'd be a major upgrade over any of Encarnacion, Espinal, or Candelario. While adding Suárez could slightly impede Marte's growth at the position, there's no way Cincinnati would pay what it would take to retain Suárez beyond this season, meaning that Marte could return to the hot corner in 2026.

Suárez's defense has seen a downturn in production, but he's still accounted for 12 outs above average (OAA) since 2023. And let's face it, while defense is important, if you're trading for Geno, you're focused on his bat. Suárez already has 21 bombs on the season, two of which came during the Diamondbacks' visit to Great American Ball Park.

Few bats that will be available at this year's MLB trade deadline will be more impactful that Suárez. Reds fans would absolutely love having Geno back in the Queen City, and having a veteran presence down the stretch could be a nice boost the clubhouse as well.

Other than the return package that Arizona would be seeking, there's no downside to trading for Suárez. At some point, the Reds must stop worrying about giving up prospects, and instead make a bold move with an emphasis on making the current team better. Adding Geno to this year's roster would certainly do that.

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