Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds talking Eugenio Suarez trade

The Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds are in the early stages of discussing a trade for third baseman Eugenio Suarez.

The Washington Nationals sorely missed Anthony Rendon in 2020, and they’re looking at Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez as a possible replacement.

The Reds are basically in fire sale mode this off-season. They’re letting Trevor Bauer walk in free agency, they’re actively shopping frontline starter Sonny Gray, and they’re even listening to offers on Luis Castillo.

If they’re planning a rebuild, trading Suarez could speed up the process quickly. In 159 games in 2019, he slashed .271/.358/.572 for an OPS of .930. His numbers were down in 2020, but it’s too small a sample size to detract from his above average production from 2017-2019. He’s an above average defender at third, he hits with power and rarely misses a game. He’s also under contract through 2025 at an $11 million AAV.

For the Nationals, Suarez would be a consistent, solid presence at third. He’d be a nice complement to a team that finished in the top ten in runs per game in 2020. The Nationals have the roster to be a competitive team right now. Their starting rotation can compete with anybody in baseball. But with the NL East getting tougher every year, they need to acquire proven talent like Suarez to stay in the mix.

The Nationals need to make improvements to the bullpen as well, but adding Suarez won’t hinder them from doing that. He’s well worth the $11 million AAV on his contract, and that number isn’t big enough to stop them from acquiring some stud relievers. Brad Hand jumps off the page as an option. Liam Hendriks and Blake Treinen are also available studs. And just a year removed from a World Series title, the Nationals should be willing to spend big to keep their contention window open.

Suarez is a perfect fit for the Nationals and I would expect this trade to heat up quickly.