Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres wants to be teammates with Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez for the remainder of the 2025 season.
It could happen within a couple of days.
The Tigers are one of many teams interested in acquiring Suárez from the Diamondbacks before the MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, July 31. Other teams in the mix include the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners.
“If he comes here at some point, it’s going to be awesome,” said Torres, a former teammate of Suárez with Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. “He treats people the right way. He’s easy to talk to. He always wants to help the players. It would be a really, really good addition for us.”
Suárez, a 12-year MLB veteran, is hitting .248 with 36 home runs, an MLB-leading 87 RBIs, 29 walks (6.7% walk rate) and 116 strikeouts (26.8% strikeout rate) across 105 games. He becomes a free agent after the 2025 season, just like Torres.
In December 2024, Torres signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Tigers. Meanwhile, Suárez is completing an eight-year, $79 million contract extension that he signed in March 2018.
“I think he’s a better person than player,” said Torres, an eight-year MLB veteran. “I have a really good relationship with him. He is a humble guy, an awesome person. I’ve known him for many years. Our relationship is really good.”
Suárez has interest in joining the Tigers.
The Tigers signed Suárez out of Venezuela for a $10,000 bonus during the 2008 international signing period. He made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2014. After 85 games, the Tigers shipped Suárez to the Reds in the Alfredo Simón trade.
“To finish where everything started, it would be cool,” Suárez said in mid-July, one day before participating in his second All-Star Game. “It would mean a lot to me.”
Whether it’s Suárez or not, Torres expects the Tigers’ front office — led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris — to improve the MLB roster ahead of the trade deadline.
The Tigers have a 62-46 record, controlling a nine-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central — trailing only the Toronto Blue Jays by 1½ games for the AL’s best record.
Inside the clubhouse, the players are focused on leading the Tigers to their first World Series title since 1984.
“Whatever good players come into our team to help and bring us to the postseason and championship, I think it’s the best deal,” Torres said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be Eugenio or not, but if Eugenio comes here, it’s going to be awesome in every aspect.”
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Among the 30 MLB teams, the Tigers own the fifth-best odds to win the World Series at 7.7%. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the way at 21%, followed by the Philadelphia Phillies (10.1%), New York Mets (8.8%) and New York Yankees (8.5%).
Suárez will boost the odds — for any team.
That’s what Torres believes.
“It’s going to be better, for sure,” Torres said. “Whatever place he goes is going to get everything — homers and RBIs. That’s what every team needs. It’s going to be awesome if we get him, and it’s going to be better for us.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gleyber Torres: Detroit Tigers trade for Eugenio Suárez would be ‘really, really good’
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
