Notebook: Eugenio Suárez addresses trade rumors, says ‘part of my heart is in Seattle’
ATLANTA — Could former Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who has 31 home runs and leads the National League with 78 runs batted in for the Arizona Diamondbacks, return to Seattle?
That is certainly a possibility.
Suárez hit 53 homers over two seasons with Seattle (2022-23) before being traded to the Diamondbacks, who are reportedly interested in trading several of their stars.
Suárez’s contract expires at the end of this season, and several teams, including the Mariners, are rumored to have interest in him. Suárez said earlier this month that he did not want to be traded, but struck a different tone Monday.
“You know, everything can happen,” said Suarez, on pace to hit 52 home runs this season. “I don’t want to say I don’t want to get traded, because this is a business and you never know. It is something out of my control. Whenever I go, I will do my best.”
As for his time with the Mariners, Suárez was very complimentary.
“They treated me really good,” he said. “Part of my heart is in Seattle.”
Suárez made national news April 26 when he hit four homers against the Atlanta Braves, making him the 19th player to hit four homers in a game and the first since J.D. Martinez in 2017.
Rasmussen’s rebound
Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen, from Mt. Spokane High School, is at his first All-Star Game after missing much of last season after undergoing elbow surgery for the third time (including two Tommy John procedures).
Rasmussen is 7-5 this season with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.
“There have been some speed bumps in my journey, but it’s really cool to get the opportunity to come here and experience being an All-Star,” he said. “It’s something that’s truly special and I know my wife and I won’t take it for granted. Then on top of it, having the opportunity to have my son here and my parents here, getting to enjoy this, and experience it with us is more than I could have asked for.”
Seattle U star
The continued success of Detroit left-hander Tarik Skubal, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and the AL starter in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, is drawing more attention to Seattle University baseball.
Skubal played through his senior season at Seattle University, leaving as the program’s career leader in wins (21), lowest ERA for a starting pitcher (2.11) and opponent batting average (. 221). He ranks second in career strikeouts (224).
He graduated from Seattle U in 2018 with a degree in finance and visits with the team when the Tigers are in town to play the Mariners, including this year in the opening series of the season.