COLUMN: Welcome home Eugenio Suarez

On July 31, the Seattle Mariners went all in on their season by trading for Eugenio Suarez. The Mariners are having an impressive season. Currently, they’re fifth in the American League, and the game differential between the teams above them is not far apart. If a few games go their way, they could be sitting in the top three.  

Suarez is in the top five in RBIs and home runs this year. In short, he is undoubtedly having a career year. On Tuesday, he kicked off his reunion with Seattle by hitting a home run against the Chicago White Sox; they went on to win 8-3.  

Now the Mariners pair Suarez with another player who is having a career year, Cal Raleigh. More importantly, Raleigh is in the midst of an MVP campaign and looks to solidify his resume in the second half of the season. Adding Suarez may help Raleigh and the Mariners take their success to the next level.  

There are signs that recent moves at the trade deadline are paying off. Since the second half of the season began, their home win/loss record has started to improve. Though it’s small right now, they went from a five-game differential to seven. Every team above them in the American League has a differential of 11 games or more. With almost two months of baseball to go, the Mariners will have plenty of opportunities to improve their home record. 

With the additions of Suarez and Josh Naylor, the Mariners should see a new level of consistency. The kind of trade for Suarez and Naylor signifies a win-now mindset. This is not a move to build for the future, though it may have that type of benefit. At 61-53, they are on the verge of making a run at a World Series title.  

The expectations should adjust themselves. They should dominate opponents like the White Sox, Orioles and the Athletics. Teams that rank at the bottom of their leagues should – on paper – be a cakewalk. If the Mariners are making win-now moves, then games like these should not be lost the rest of the season. Now, I have come to understand the game of baseball is not remotely that simple.  

Like the NBA, they play a lot of games and games can be lost on any given night. Sometimes, those losing teams can steal a game here and there from the contenders. Raleigh, Suarez and the Mariners will need to maintain consistency throughout the rest of the season. If they can do that, they will be sitting comfortably in the American League and ready to make a deep playoff run.  

Only time will tell if this season will be one to remember or another “almost” season. In the last couple of years, especially, the Mariners have been right on the other side of the fence of the playoffs. This year feels different. 

Before their trades, they assembled a very productive roster built around drafted talent like Raleigh. When teams make moves like the Mariners did, it signifies a larger desire to win. Being on the outside looking in no longer seems to be an acceptable outcome. They acquired players who will help them make a push for the playoffs and make a deep run.  

The Mariners' passionate fan base has been through enough misery. This year holds the best opportunity for their investment, financially and emotionally, in the team to be paid off. The future is bright for them.