Diamondbacks make big trade for former All-Star infielder

Feb 13, 2019; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks logo is seen during the first day of spring training workouts at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK

The reigning NL pennant winners are trying to stack the deck even further.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported on Wednesday that the Arizona Diamondbacks are acquiring veteran infielder Eugenio Suarez in a trade with the Seattle Mariners. The Dbacks will be sending catcher Seby Zavala and righty reliever Carlos Vargas back to the Mariners to complete the deal.

The 32-year-old Suarez is a fairly seismic get for Arizona. An All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds in 2018, Suarez is a strong power bat. He hit 22 homers and 96 RBIs last season for the Mariners, playing in all 162 games to boot. Suarez does badly struggle with strikeouts (leading the American League in Ks in back-to-back years now) and below-par batting average. But he is still a cost-effective source of offensive production who is under contract for $11 million next season with a $15 million club option for 2025.

Suarez’s primary defensive position is third base, where the Dbacks were recently rumored to be targeting another valuable veteran piece. They have decided to pull the trigger on a Suarez deal though, and he represents an immediate upgrade over their current third-base rotation of Emmanuel Rivera, Geraldo Perdomo, and Jace Peterson (with 38-year-old Evan Longoria a free agent).