TORONTO — Since the Blue Jays need power and a prominent slugger is available on waivers, a claim is worth considering at a time when every win matters in a crowded American League playoff race. But while the idea of adding Eugenio Suárez is initially intriguing, closer consideration will be required to determine if there’s a real fit here.
On Wednesday night, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Reds had placed Suárez and outfielder TJ Friedl on waivers. Like many teams, the Blue Jays are extremely thorough, considering dozens or perhaps hundreds of moves every season.
With that in mind, they’re sure to consider the likes of Suárez, whose ninth-inning grand slam Wednesday helped the Reds come back and defeat the Giants. Here are some of the factors the Blue Jays would likely consider when evaluating Suárez, who’s now on waivers for a 48-hour period:
On-field skillset
Suárez is a prototypical boom-or-bust slugger, having reached the 30-home-run plateau six times, including last year when he hit 49. His numbers have fallen off in 2026, with 19 home runs and a .705 OPS entering play Thursday, but he’s playing his best baseball now with five home runs and an .862 OPS in August.
A right-handed hitter, Suárez has fared slightly better against left-handed pitching over the course of his career. This season, those splits are reversed, with a .715 OPS and 15 of his 19 home runs against right-handers.
Now 35, he's mainly a designated hitter, though he has started 38 games at third for the Reds. He has barely played first at the MLB level, and while he came up as a shortstop, those days are clearly behind him.
The contract
Suárez is on a one-year, $15 million deal, meaning there's approximately $2.5 million owed to him before he hits free agency at season’s end. Technically speaking, his deal includes a mutual option for 2027, but there’s no buyout on that option, and it’s not expected to be exercised.
As always, any player who joins a new organization before Sept. 1 is eligible to play for that team in the post-season.
For a Blue Jays team that’s clearly willing to spend, $2.5 million wouldn’t stand in the way of getting a player they felt would make a difference. Nor are the Blue Jays opposed to claiming veterans in the hopes that they have something left, as Paul Sewald and Matt Waldron can attest. The question is, how would Suárez work on this roster?
Would he fit on the Blue Jays?
The Blue Jays have shown interest in Suárez before, including during the 2023-24 off-season following Matt Chapman’s departure. But their roster looked different then, and so did Suárez’s skill set.
Focusing on the here and now, the Blue Jays could clearly use an offensive jolt. They rank 28th among the 30 MLB teams in home runs (125) and wRC+ (92) and 29th in runs scored (527). This is one of the league’s worst offences — and Suárez could help, especially if he’s heating up.
Fitting a player like Suárez into the Blue Jays’ lineup isn’t so simple, though. At DH, they have George Springer. At third base, there’s Kazuma Okamoto. And yes, Okamoto can shift to first as needed, but that’s where Vladimir Guerrero Jr. plays.
Since Suárez, Springer, Okamoto and Guerrero Jr. are all right-handed hitters, there’s no obvious platoon to be found here either. On paper, then, the only role available is bench bat.
Opportunity cost
Active rosters expand to 28 Tuesday, allowing the Blue Jays to carry another bench hitter. Internally, they’ll have to weigh the contributions of outsiders like Suárez against existing options like Davis Schneider and Sean Keys.
Since the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster is full, someone would have to be cut to accommodate any outside addition. Conversely, no 40-man move is needed for Schneider or Keys.
The verdict
There’s limited downside to acquiring Suárez as a bench bat or injury insurance policy as rosters expand, but as of now, there’s no clear fit for regular at-bats. More than anything else, the Blue Jays need their existing hitters to turn it up in the final month. And if there’s any quality pitching on waivers, that’d fit this team’s needs rather neatly.
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