Reds fans get an awkward free agency update that's hard to ignore

Those Cincinnati Reds fans who are hoping for a reunion with former All-Star Eugenio Suárez may not want to hold their breath. While the idea of signing Suárez is quite appealing to the Cincinnati faithful, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal did not name the Reds among the most likely destinations for the free agent slugger.

During an episode of the Fair Territory podcast, Rosenthal talked about the likelihood of the Pittsburgh Pirates signing Suárez. Rosenthal revealed that many free agents — including Suárez — don't regard the Pirates as a competitive team heading into next season, and as such, are looking at other options that would give him a chance to compete for a championship.

Following those initial comments, Rosenthal went on to explain that the Boston Red Sox would provide such an opportunity for Suárez. He then listed two of Geno's former teams — the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners — as preferred landing spots. Strangely, Rosenthal omitted the Reds (and the Detroit Tigers) from the list.

MLB insider glosses over Reds as pursuit for free agent slugger Eugenio Suárez heats up

This shouldn't necessarily come as a shock to Reds fans. Though inking Suárez to a free agent contract would be in the same feel-good story category as signing hometown slugger Kyle Schwarber, the price tag is much higher than Cincinnati is willing to pay. The Reds have a little less than $10 million left to spend this winter, and Geno is going to cost much more than that.

Most estimates predict Suárez to sign for at least $20 million per season. After Jeimer Candelario's failed contract — one the Reds are still paying in 2026 — it's difficult to see Cincinnati commit such a hefty sum to a player whose best days are behind him.

There's little doubt that Suárez would bring plenty of pop to the Cincinnati lineup, but there's a lot of swing and miss in his bat. He struck out 196 times last season and led the league in that category on three occasions. Geno also plays a position that's already well represented on the Reds roster. After adding Ke'Bryan Hayes and promoting Sal Stewart, it would be difficult to allocate playing time appropriately if Suárez signs a deal with Cincinnati.

Though the door still remains open, it's quite unlikely that a reunion with Suárez will happen this offseason. Thankfully, however, it sounds as if the likelihood of him signing with one of the Reds' biggest NL Central rivals is also quite slim.