Eugenio Suárez staying process-oriented through his slow start to 2026

ST. LOUIS — Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona used the word “disjointed” to describe Eugenio Suárez’s season so far.

“In the WBC, he didn’t get very many at-bats,” Francona said. “He’s a good worker. He did everything. When he got back (to spring training), he took at-bats with the minor leaguers. He did everything he could. I’m not being remotely critical. It was just disjointed. If you go look at a lot of the WBC guys, there have been a lot of injuries and a lot of guys who are struggling. It’s different.”

Suárez, who wasn’t always in the lineup for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic and was out of camp for four weeks, barely had a spring training.

“I know people pooh-pooh spring training,” Francona said. “But when you do it right, there’s a reason (for it).”

When the regular season started, Suárez was in a DH role for the first time in his career.

Then, a month into the regular season, Suárez strained his oblique and was out for about four weeks.

Coming back from the oblique injury, Suárez went on a rehab assignment in May. He only played in two Triple-A rehab games before he returned from the IL.

“When a veteran player says I’m ready, unless you’re worried about them physically, you try to listen to them,” Francona said. “That’s always the way it’s been with me.”

Suárez returned to the active roster on May 22.

Now, with the Reds 62 games into the season, Suárez is hitting .215 with a .641 OPS (that OPS ranks 233rd in MLB among hitters with at least 100 at-bats). After hitting 49 homers in 2025 and driving in 118 runs, Suárez has four homers and 16 RBI through the 37 games he has played in 2026.

“The best thing we can do is let him get hot,” Francona said. “He will. Hopefully, he can put us on his back a bit.”

The Reds’ offense is figuring out how this is going to work without Elly De La Cruz for the next few weeks. The Reds have slid down the standings over the last month, and Suárez is one of the players who the Reds need to get going to get the season back on track.

“I know how tough it’s been over the last couple months,” Suárez said. “The injury. I came back. The team, people, reporters, they expect more from me. At the same time, I understand you guys expect more. I enjoy my process. I’m not forcing it. I’ll play hard every day and give my 100%. The results will be there.”

On Friday, with the Reds facing a right-handed pitcher, Suárez hit sixth in the lineup. The idea when the Reds signed him was that he’d be their full-time cleanup hitter, but it hasn’t played out that way.

He’s just not making much hard contact, and his barrel rate and average exit velocity are way down. Nineteen of his 28 hits have been singles. Nine of those 28 hits bounced before they reached the outfield grass, and all but one of his 19 singles was hit to the shallow outfield. There has been a dramatic difference in his ability to slug when he gets a slider. He’s also pulling the ball in the air much less often.

“Rhythm” is the word that Suárez harps on as he works to get hot. He focuses on developing that “rhythm” in the batting cage and during batting practice.

“I feel very close,” Suárez said. “Sometimes, you’re doing good. Sometimes, you’re not. Yesterday, I felt very close. I don’t have my results. When you start chasing results and you don’t have the results and the frustration comes, that’s something I don’t think about. The results will be there. How will this game give it to you? I enjoy every day and enjoy my process knowing I’m going to have my results.”

He has been here before. Suárez struggled with the Reds in 2021 and with the Diamondbacks in 2024. The 2024 season became an important step in Suárez’s career.

Halfway through his 2024 season with the Diamondbacks, he was hitting .198 with a .596 OPS. During the second half of that season, he completely turned it around and hit .311 with a .972 OPS and 24 homers over his final 81 games.

“I know how tough it was in the first half of 2024,” Suárez said. “I’ve always been in the mindset of what can I do. This game is so hard. Sometimes, you’re on top. Sometimes, you’re down. For me, it’s being myself every day, working hard every day and knowing the results will be there. That year is an example.”

Back in 2024, Suárez’s dramatic turnaround began with a conversation with Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo. They took a deep dive into Suárez’s pregame routine, and they decided to make some changes and really up the intensity of the work that he did before games. Specifically, Suárez started doing a lot more work off of the velocity pitching machine as well as a “Traject” pitching machine that produces really difficult spin.

Suárez started catching up to the velocity in games, and there was an instant turnaround. Suárez carries that experience with him. Recently, he has been out on the field for a lot of extra early work batting practice.

He’ll just have to work his way through this inconsistent stretch that he’s in the middle of right now.

“Every day is a new challenge,” Suárez said. “You have to be yourself. I’ll come every day and work my (tail) off and try to be the same guy and not chase results. That’s one of my biggest things every day. I know how tough this game is. If I start thinking I have to produce, that’s when my mind gets away from my goal. My goal is to come in here every day, enjoy my process and stay focused on what I can and can’t do and put 100% on the field.”

The Reds are counting on Suárez to get hot again.

“I understand how important it is for our team and for the fans that I get hot,” Suárez said. “I’m waiting for that time. I put it in God’s hands. He has the results for me. I believe in that. I know that at some point, my results will be there.”