Eugenio Suárez's Positivity, Patient At-Bats Fuel Offensive Surge

The Diamondbacks' third baseman has struggled, but could be on the verge of turning a corner.

Jul 7, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) celebrates on the field after defeating the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / © Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

It's no secret that Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez hasn't lived up to what the team--and fans--thought he would be able to do. At least, not right away.

Suárez had sputtered out to a dismal season. A brutal May and first few weeks of June saw his slash line sit at .192/.276/.308 on June 23rd, and a player who had been well known for slugging and hitting homers in great volume had only five balls leave the yard.

Amongst loud noise desiring the veteran to be benched, released or traded, that trend has quietly begun to slide in the opposite direction.

Since June 25th (a day after he spent a game on the bench), Suárez has slashed .308/.413/.513, good for a .926 OPS. On Sunday, he put forward a stellar performance in a near must-win game against the San Diego Padres.

Suárez was 3-for-4, with a go-ahead home run, a bases-clearing double and five total RBI. Even after an 0-4 night on Monday, he's raised his season numbers to a still-low, but noticeably improved .207/.294/.334 and .629 OPS.

Inside the Diamondbacks had a chance to catch up with the veteran and talk to him about his recent positive trajectory.

Yesterday, Eugenio Suárez was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and 5 RBI.

Since June 25th, he’s slashing .343/.452/.571, with a 1.024 OPS and 189 wRC+.

The #Dbacks desperately need a second-half surge out of Geno. pic.twitter.com/UIDIY9T8DN

— Alex D’Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) July 8, 2024

"Yesterday was awesome... Feels like it’s been a long time for me; I’ve just been grinding. But I feel great today, another day, another opportunity," said Suárez, "I feel grateful… to still play this game. I just enjoy the moment, enjoy the day that I had [Sunday]."

The veteran's patented "good vibes only" mentality isn't just a catchphrase. Suárez continues to exude positivity and gratefulness, despite playing in a way that even the most mentally sound players could easily slip into deep frustration about.

While it's unlikely Suárez has been satisfied with his level of play, he doesn't let that get in the way of being grateful, and trusts that that mindset will lead to results, even when it might not seem like it in the moment.

“The way I’ve been working... I never give up, even when I don’t feel right... [that's] when I work harder. The results aren’t always going to be there. I just feel proud, and [Sunday] was one of those days that you feel good about. I want more of that," Suárez said.

For any player--but especially a slumping veteran--baseball can be unforgiving. No player can ever be truly certain that they'll be on a roster the next day. Suárez knows the nature of the game and acknowledges that possibility, but uses it as a reminder to be grateful and enjoy the journey ahead.

“I trust in what I can do on the field and off the field. And I just try to enjoy every day that I have here on the field. You never know when it's the last day here. That’s why I enjoy every day like it’s the last day," Suárez said.

To the chagrin of many, even when manager Torey Lovullo mentioned a playing time split between Suárez and rookie Blaze Alexander or veteran Kevin Newman at third, Suárez still seemed to be making the vast majority of starts.

While it's understandably frustrating to have what seems like a hole in the lineup, the confidence and continued trust in him has had a positive impact on the third baseman.

"It is big. You feel great, you feel happy when they trust in you. Their trust in me has made me feel proud in who I am… I understand this game is not easy,” he said.

Even when the bat isn't performing the way it should, his dedication to his teammates and genuine joy for their success is evident. Even in the midst of his own success, he's finding ways to share the credit.

Ahead of his two-run blast against the Padres, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo worked a crucial two-out walk, setting up Suárez for what would ultimately be the winning runs.

But the positive third baseman offered credit to Perdomo instead.

"This was you, you [were] the guy. You take that walk and you give me the opportunity," Suárez had told his teammate. "I put all the credit on Perdomo, he did a real good job... this homer is for you, you did it and you gave me an opportunity.”

Walks themselves have been another interesting aspect of the veteran's game in recent weeks. He's never had a walk rate higher than 13.3% in a full season, and is known for his always-high strikeout rates.

His walk rate since June 25th is 16.6%, as he's taken seven walks in that time. It's not an astronomical number, but it is an indicator that the swing-happy Suárez has been taking more patient at-bats, and the results back that up.

“I love taking walks. It means that you got a good at-bat. Everybody knows that I’m a strikeout guy, that’s what everybody tells you, that I’m a big strikeout guy. But at the same time I can walk,” Suárez said.

He emphasized that he looks at taking a walk as being "as good as a hit," and while the results aren't always there, his main goal at all times is simply to not "give up" at-bats, and "win" them, rather than focusing on smashing home runs.

“It’s just results. It’s the result that I’ve been working hard. I’ve been working hard all season long. When you don’t have your results, obviously your mentality changes, you try to figure out what you’ve been doing wrong," Suárez said.

"Right now, I just try to enjoy the moment more than I’ve been doing before, and don’t chase the results.”

It's still a long road ahead to turn his season around fully, but the D-backs--and their fans--hope that Suárez' recent showings is more closely aligned with what's to come.