RADIO
Reds Decline 2027 Option on Eugenio Suarez
The Cincinnati Reds announced on Saturday that they declined the $16 million 2027 mutual option on veteran third baseman Eugenio Suarez. This one comes as no surprise after the Reds tried to trade the 35-year-old Venezuelan slugger late in the year. In his 13th year in the big leagues, the two-time All-Star continued to regress offensively, slashing .212/.307/.433 with a .740 OPS, 26 home runs, 74 RBI, 50 runs scored, one stolen base, 52 walks, and 169 strikeouts in 498 plate appearances across 125 games in his return to Cincinnati. It was a major step back for Suarez, who hit 49 home runs and drove in a career-best 118 runs in 159 games in 2025 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. He will not be back in Cincy next year, but he should still attract interest as more of a designated hitter with some power. Suarez's inability to make consistent contact -- he had a career-high 33.9% strikeout rate in 2026 -- will make him a hard-to-roster slugger in deeper fantasy formats if his power continues to decline, as expected, as he nears the end of his career.
Source: Cincinnati Reds
Source: Cincinnati Reds
Eugenio Suarez Back From Personal Matter on Friday
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez is serving as the designated hitter and is batting fifth for Friday's contest against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander Shane Drohan at Great American Ball Park, per MLB.com. Suarez missed the final two games of the series against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday and Wednesday to take his US naturalization test, but he is back now and ready for the weekend series in Cincy. The Reds placed the 35-year-old Venezuelan on outright waivers recently, but he was not picked up and will finish out the 2026 season with the Reds before becoming a free agent this winter. Suarez still has some pop, but he is striking out 35% of the time in his 13th MLB season. The two-time All-Star is also hitting just .206 (77-for-373) with a .298 on-base percentage, 20 home runs, 59 RBI, and 36 runs scored across 107 games and 426 plate appearances this year. It has been a steep decline for Suarez, who tied a career high with 49 round-trippers in 2025 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Sal Stewart Riding Second-Half Surge into Final Month of 2026
Across 607 plate appearances in 2026, Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart is hitting .266/.336/.485 with 31 home runs, 105 RBI, 80 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases. The 22-year-old has been one of the most consistent run producers in baseball this season, as he currently leads MLB in RBI. Stewart went through a moderate dry spell in the middle of the season, but he just finished up a scorching hot August. Across 126 plate appearances last month, the young slugger hit .304 with eight home runs and 21 RBI. In 189 plate appearances since the All-Star break, Stewart has posted an .859 OPS with 12 long balls and 40 RBI. As September gets underway, Stewart looks like a premium option at either corner infield spot for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eugenio Suarez to Miss Next Two Games for US Naturalization Test
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez will miss the team's next two games to close out the series against the visiting San Diego Padres on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to take the US naturalization test, according to Theo DeRosa of MLB.com. Suarez is a Venezuelan native who makes his home in Miami, and he is seeking US citizenship. The 35-year-old is choosing to remain in the US for good after signing with the Detroit Tigers as an international free agent at the age of 17 in 2008. Suarez has played for the Tigers, Reds, Seattle Mariners, and Arizona Diamondbacks during his 13-year major-league career. The Reds recently put Suarez on outright waivers as a way to get out of paying him his remaining salary for the 2026 season, but there were no takers on waivers, so he is set to close out the year in Cincy. He signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Reds after hitting 49 home runs last season, but he is currently slashing just .206/.298/.410 with 20 homers and 59 RBI in 2026. Suarez still has pop, but his high rate of swings and misses makes him a major drain on average and on-base percentage.
Source: MLB.com - Theo DeRosa
Source: MLB.com - Theo DeRosa
Eugenio Suarez Clears Waivers, Staying With Reds
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder TJ Friedl have both cleared waivers and will be with the team in Chicago on Friday for their series opener against the division-rival Cubs at Wrigley Field, team sources told C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. The Reds placed Suarez and Friedl on outright waivers on Wednesday night, but they have gone unclaimed and are likely to finish out the 2026 season with the Reds before moving on as free agents this winter. Suarez, 35, has 19 home runs in 361 at-bats in 2026, including a big grand slam in an improbable comeback win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, but he's also hitting just .208/.295/.410 with a .705 OPS and a career-high 34.9% strikeout rate in his 13th year in the big leagues. The Reds were hoping another team might take Suarez and his $3 million salary the rest of the way off their hands as they look to save a little money going into the offseason. Suarez will remain with Cincy for just over a month left in the season, where he'll provide fantasy managers with some pop but little else.
Source: The Athletic - C. Trent Rosecrans
Source: The Athletic - C. Trent Rosecrans
Reds Place Slugger Eugenio Suarez on Outright Waivers
The Cincinnati Reds placed third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder T.J. Friedl on outright waivers on Wednesday, people briefed on the process told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The other 29 MLB teams can claim either player during a 48-hour period before waivers expire, but the likelihood is that both Suarez and Friedl will clear and remain with the Reds, unless the Reds move to cut ties by designating one or both for assignment. The 35-year-old Suarez is owed just less than $3 million for the remainder of the 2026 season, while the 31-year-old Friedl is owed slightly more than $700,000. Neither player was popular at the trade deadline, and they are both not expected to return to Cincy in 2027. Suarez had a grand slam in the team's miraculous seven-run, ninth-inning rally on Wednesday to beat the San Francisco Giants, but the 13-year veteran came into the contest with a .205 average, 18 home runs, 53 RBI, and a career-worst 34.8% strikeout rate. Suarez also missed almost a month earlier this season with a strained left oblique. He still has pop, but he strikes out way too much, and the Reds could save money before the end of the year on a player that isn't going to be part of their future.
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
Source: The Athletic - Ken Rosenthal
Sal Stewart Heating Up Again, Clubs Two Homers on Wednesday
Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart was seeing the ball well in the team's 11-5 rout over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night at Great American Ballpark, going 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and a walk to raise his season batting average to .256 and his OPS to .822. In what has been a breakout first half for the 22-year-old former first-rounder in 2022, he now has a .341 on-base percentage, .481 slugging percentage, 19 home runs, 64 RBI, 50 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 91 games and 396 plate appearances in his first full season in the big leagues. Wednesday's contest was Stewart's second multi-homer performance of his career. After a lull following a hot start at the plate, Stewart has picked things up heading into the All-Star break, going 17-for-54 (.315) with five home runs, five doubles, 10 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 13 games across 58 plate appearances since June 24. He has done enough in the first half in his second year in the majors to earn his first All-Star appearance in 2026. Stewart is now rostered in 94% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Eugenio Suarez Back in Reds Lineup on Tuesday
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez (wrist) is starting at third base and will bat cleanup for the Reds in Tuesday's contest against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Brandon Sproat at American Family Field, per MLB.com. Suarez was hit by a pitch on his left wrist on Sunday and was held out of Monday's series opener against Milwaukee as a precaution. The 34-year-old Venezuelan corner infielder will now return to Cincy's starting nine as he looks to snap out of his funk at the plate. He's hitting just .185 (15-for-81) with four home runs, four doubles, 14 RBI, five runs scored, four walks, and 32 strikeouts in 22 games in June. The two-time All-Star hasn't really been good all year in his return to the Reds in 2026, slashing .208/.276/.376 on the season with a career-worst .652 OPS, eight home runs, 29 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a career-worst 33.2% strikeout rate. Suarez is rostered in 70% of Yahoo leagues, but his .195 xBA and .261 xwOBA don't exactly give fantasy managers hope that the veteran slugger will turn things around in his 13th year in the league.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Eugenio Suarez Out With Wrist Injury on Monday
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez (wrist) is out of the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers due to a wrist injury, according to MLB.com. Sal Stewart will man the hot corner and bat second, with Spencer Steer starting at first and batting third versus Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser. Suarez was pulled from Sunday's loss to the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates early when he was hit by a pitch on his left wrist in the sixth inning. Thankfully, X-rays and a CT scan on the 34-year-old veteran's wrist came back clean, which has the Reds optimistic that he'll be back during the series this week against the Brewers. The 34-year-old Venezuelan has struggled in his return to the Reds in 2026, hitting just .208/.276/.376 with a career-low .652 OPS, eight home runs, 29 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a career-high 33.2% strikeout rate in 217 plate appearances. He has really struggled in 22 games in June, going 15-for-81 (.185) with four homers, four doubles, 14 RBI, five runs, four walks, and 32 strikeouts. The strikeouts continue to pile up, making fantasy managers wonder if Suarez is even worth the power at this point in his career.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Eugenio Suarez Exits Early on Sunday After Being Hit By Pitch, X-Rays Inconclusive
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez (hand/wrist) exited early from his team's loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday after being hit by a pitch in the hand/wrist area. X-rays for Suarez were inconclusive, and the team will send him for a scan on Monday, per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19. It's been a rough season so far for Suarez, who is hitting .208/.276/.376 with eight home runs, 29 RBI, and 18 runs scored across 217 plate appearances. The 34-year-old's strikeout rate currently sits at a career-worst 33.2%, and his 7.2% barrel rate is his lowest since 2017. While the exact nature of Saurez's injury remains unclear, he could be headed for a trip to the injured list if further testing on his hand/wrist shows structural damage. If Suarez misses time, Reds first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and outfielder/third baseman Noelvi Marte would likely see the largest increases in playing time.
Source: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
Source: FOX 19 - Charlie Goldsmith
Sal Stewart Breaks Out of his Funk With a Six-RBI Game
Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart entered Saturday's game versus the New York Yankees in the Bronx with a .200 average (12-for-60) with two home runs, three doubles, 10 RBI, five runs scored, a stolen base, nine walks, and 16 strikeouts in 16 games in June. The 22-year-old turned things around, though, by going 2-for-4 with two doubles, a career-high six RBI, and a run scored in the team's 10-2 win over the Yankees. The former 32nd overall pick in 2022 is in the midst of a breakout in 2026 in his first full year in the big leagues with the Reds, and he now has a .252/.346/.457 slash line with 14 home runs, 53 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and 40 runs scored in his 75 games played. In his first taste of the majors last year, Stewart teased at his high-upside potential by hitting .255 (14-for-55) with five homers, eight RBI, and 11 runs scored in his 18 games and 58 plate appearances. Stewart was a popular waiver-wire pickup early this year when he started hot, and he's now rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues. In addition to providing five-category upside for fantasy managers, Stewart also has a strong glove and has eligibility at second base, first base, and third base in Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Is Noelvi Marte a Priority Waiver Wire Breakout Candidate?
Cincinnati Reds outfielder/third baseman Noelvi Marte has logged just 67 plate appearances at the big-league level so far this season, hitting .206/.254/.382 with three home runs, three RBI, seven runs scored, and four stolen bases. After getting off to an awful start to the year, the 24-year-old was optioned to Triple-A in mid-April and did not make his MLB return until early June. Since being recalled, Marte's playing time has been sporadic, and he's been unable to carve out an everyday role. Marte has typically posted poor defensive metrics in the outfield, which limits his real-life value. Still, Marte is an intriguing bat for fantasy managers, as he has three home runs and three stolen bases in just 36 plate appearances in June. Across 360 plate appearances with the Reds in 2025, he hit .263 with 14 homers and 10 steals. If Marte can re-emerge as a regular in Cincinnati, he offers five-category upside at the plate. Real impediments are standing in the way of a potential breakout for Marte, but he could still be worth targeting on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Eugenio Suarez Homers Twice, Drives in Six on Monday Against Mets
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez could be turning a corner after going 2-for-4 with two home runs, a season-high six RBI, and two strikeouts in the 12-0 blowout victory over the visiting New York Mets at Great American Ballpark on Monday night. The 34-year-old Venezuelan right-handed power hitter has struggled in 2026, slashing .222/.287/.395 with a .682 OPS, seven home runs, 25 RBI, 16 runs scored, and a career-high 31.5% strikeout rate in his 178 plate appearances in his return to Cincinnati. Suarez has always been a high-strikeout hitter with lots of swing and miss in his game, but he's also in just the ninth percentile in hard-hit rate in 2026, so when he is making contact, he's not hitting the ball as hard as he typically does. The two-time All-Star had a two-run homer and a grand slam on Monday against New York for his first multi-homer game of the year. In his last six games, Suarez has gone 8-for-24 (.333) with three homers, two doubles, nine RBI, three runs, no walks, and eight strikeouts. The strikeouts aren't going to go away, but he could be in the midst of a nice hot streak.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Noelvi Marte Homers Again on Sunday, Worth a Look on the Waiver Wire
Cincinnati Reds third baseman/outfielder Noelvi Marte was sent to the minors early on in 2026, he's played in just 20 games this year, and his surface stats definitely don't raise any eyebrows with a .218/.271/.400 slash line, .671 OPS, three home runs, three RBI, four stolen bases, and seven runs scored in 59 plate appearances. But since rejoining the major-league squad on June 3, the 24-year-old Dominican has gone 8-for-26 (.308) with all three of his home runs, a double, three RBI, three steals, and five runs scored in nine games played. All three of his homers on the year have come in the last three games, and he has seen more playing time in the outfield in Cincy this time around. In a career-high 90 games with the Reds in 2025, Marte hit .263 (89-for-339) with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 360 plate appearances. With improved plate discipline since his return to the Reds, Marte is putting up better numbers. With both third base and outfield eligibility, fantasy managers need to consider adding Marte off the waiver wire. He's rostered in only 40% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Noelvi Marte a Priority Waiver-Wire Target After Being Recalled by Reds
After spending nearly two months in the minor leagues, Cincinnati Reds third baseman/outfielder Noelvi Marte was recalled by the big league club on Wednesday. The 24-year-old got off to a miserable start to his 2026 season after breaking camp with Cincinnati, hitting .138/.219/.138 with a 31.9% strikeout rate across 38 plate appearances. However, Marte has absolutely crushed Triple-A pitching since being sent down, slashing .369/.409/.575 with eight home runs, 27 RBI, 31 runs scored, and nine stolen bases across 176 plate appearances. The former top prospect has had MLB success as recently as 2025, when he posted a .748 OPS with 14 home runs and 10 stolen bases across 360 plate appearances. He may also now have a chance to work his way into everyday playing time in Cincinnati, as Reds third baseman/designated hitter Eugenio Suarez has posted a .645 OPS with a 30.3% strikeout rate across 142 plate appearances so far this season. A chance to reset himself in the minors may have been just what Marte needed, and he profiles as a must-roster waiver wire target now that he's back in the big leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
