An opera-singing reason explains Eugenio Suarez trade back to Mariners

Billy Heyen

An opera-singing reason explains Eugenio Suarez trade back to Mariners image

The Seattle Mariners traded for Eugenio Suarez because he's an All Star who fills a position of need. 

Suarez slugged 36 home runs this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks before being moved to Seattle overnight Wednesday into Thursday. And he's a third baseman, able to take over for the lighter-hitting Ben Williamson at the hot corner.

But those aren't the only reasons Seattle went to get Suarez.

He's also beloved by his teammates that are still with the Mariners.

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He may prove his character in no better way than a video captured of Suarez during his previous Mariners tenure (2022-23) singing some opera to a coach.

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That might seem like not much, but it's actually priceless.

Baseball is a long season. Teams need guys who can keep the rest of the room both loose and positive.

Suarez is one of those dudes, for sure. So is his former Arizona teammate Josh Naylor, another guy that the Mariners got in a trade. Naylor is a little more intense sometimes, but he also is certainly capable of being one of the guys and loving the chance to be with his teammates.

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Teams pay for strong clubhouse presences even when they can't hit. That's how catcher Austin Hedges (currently Cleveland) has stuck around so long. 

When guys like that can hit? They're Suarez, and they net three top-20 prospects in a trade despite being on an expiring contract.

The Mariners know they'll only have Suarez for a couple months. But because of not just the baseball player he is, but the person he is, they also know the deal will be worth it.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle