It\u2019s impossible to tell which side is enjoying this more. <\/p>\n
Eugenio Su\u00e1rez is back with the Cincinnati Reds in 2026, and the crowd is on its feet before each of his at-bats with everyone at Great American Ball Park anticipating that big swing. On Sunday, Su\u00e1rez had that moment with a three-run homer that gave the Reds all of their offense for the day in a 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox. <\/p>\n
Every Reds\u2019 player, everyone on the staff and every fan who wears a jersey is thrilled to see him back in Cincinnati. <\/p>\n
\u201c(Sunday), that\u2019s a game that last year, we lose a lot of times,\u201d Terry Francona said. \u201cWe were kind of frustrated. We had some hits, but we didn\u2019t bunch them together. But all of a sudden, they try to sneak a fastball by him and it completely changes a game. That didn\u2019t happen a lot. That\u2019s why we got Geno.\u201d<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez looks like he\u2019s appreciating this reunion just as much.<\/p>\n
He smiles as he discusses the familiar local spots that he\u2019s going to again. Su\u00e1rez had his family at this season-opening series, and his daughters were doings Reds cheers in the car ride to the ballpark before Opening Day. Su\u00e1rez recorded a video message for his wife on the scoreboard during the game on Saturday to wish her a happy birthday. <\/p>\n
This weekend, Dave Concepcion presented Su\u00e1rez the Luis Aparicio Award, which recognizes great seasons by Venezuelan players in MLB. He also gets to say, \u201cHave a good day, Jim Day,\u201d again.\u201d He\u2019s doing six-seven dances with Elly De La Cruz. <\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez is back home in Cincinnati, playing for a good team and making a big impact. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis series was very good for us,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cWe played very good baseball. That\u2019s a good series for us to know how good we are. We played together. Winning this first series is big\u2026 We\u2019ve got a really good group to do something special this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
For most of the day on Sunday, the game was a story that we\u2019ve seen dozens and dozens of times in recent years from the Reds. A left-handed starting pitcher (this time Connelly Early of the Boston Red Sox) was using a lot of pitches, moving them around, throwing strikes and shutting down the Reds\u2019 lineup. Boston took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning, and setup reliever Greg Weissert took the ball with a runner on base in the inning to face the middle of the Reds\u2019 lineup. <\/p>\n
Following a walk from the red-hot Sal Stewart, Su\u00e1rez stepped up to the plate with two runners on. <\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez demolished a fastball into the second deck as the Reds took a 3-2 lead. <\/p>\n
\u201cI never try for homers,\u201d Su\u00e1rez said. \u201cI put my best swing on it. I know what I can do with it. I\u2019m not coming to hit homers every time. My swing is right there. I want to put my best swing on it and swing at strikes, and I\u2019ll get the results at some point. Today is one of those days.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that he made an adjustment recently to be more on-time against fastballs and to not let the fastball beat him. Before batting practice on Saturday, hitting coach Chris Valaika was working with Su\u00e1rez on the stride as he moves his leg forward toward the ball during his swing. Before the game on Sunday, Su\u00e1rez took some extra swings during optional on-field batting practice. <\/p>\n
The adjustments worked, and Su\u00e1rez provided a moment that sent the dugout and the home crowd into a big celebration. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was electric,\u201d Dane Myers said. \u201cThat\u2019s the reason we got him, to get big hits like that. He\u2019s a special teammate, a special person and an even better ballplayer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Su\u00e1rez is one of the great game-changers in baseball. <\/p>\n
Between 2023 and 2025, Su\u00e1rez has the eighth most games in all of MLB where he had three+ RBI and his team won. In 2025, he was tied with Kyle Schwarber for delivering the second-biggest number of those games (three+ RBI in a team win). <\/p>\n
Between 2023 and 2025, Su\u00e1rez has the 16th-most games in MLB where he had a homer and his team also won. In 2025, he was tied for eighth in that stat. <\/p>\n
When Su\u00e1rez has a big swing, big things happen and his team wins. It\u2019ll be fun to track how many games his power wins the Reds this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guy is worth every penny,\u201d said reliever Brock Burke, who officially picked up the win on Sunday. \u201cFrom a bullpen perspective, it\u2019s a guy you have to worry about at all times. Any time you get to that part of the lineup, you have to worry about having a (plan) for that guy. If you don\u2019t he\u2019s going to make you pay.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Reds did a lot of things very well as they took the series-opening series against a good Red Sox team. Andrew Abbott and Rhett Lowder looked great in their starts, and Brady Singer grinded through a finger issue to keep the Reds in Saturday\u2019s game. Since the Reds weren\u2019t getting long starts, the bullpen stepped up, covered more innings than is usual and kept runs off the board. <\/p>\n
The defense was crisp. The base running was mostly sharp. The ABS challenge strategy was strong. Stewart looks superhuman, and Francona said about the rookie cleanup hitter, \u201cI know that I\u2019ve been saying for a while that he\u2019s an advanced young hitter. What he is is an advanced hitter.\u201d McLain looks rejuvenated. <\/p>\n
Despite all of that though, the biggest difference between the 2025 Reds and the 2026 Reds is that the team has Su\u00e1rez\u2019s power presence this year. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s happy to be here,\u201d Francona said. \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to have him. He lifts everyone up. We already had a great group. But he adds a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
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