Eugenio Suárez placed on waivers by Reds, Mariners have priority claim position

The Cincinnati Reds have placed third baseman Eugenio Suárez on waivers, making him available for claiming teams, per Jon Morosi. The Mariners, who previously employed Suárez before trading him to Cincinnati, hold priority position in the waiver order by virtue of having one of the worst records among viable contenders, Morosi noted.

Waiver claims are awarded in reverse order of standings, giving clubs further from playoff position first crack at players who clear the designation-for-assignment window and land on outright waivers.

What happened

Cincinnati placed Suárez on waivers, per Morosi, who also reported that outfielder TJ Friedl is available through the same mechanism. The move makes Suárez available to any club willing to assume the remainder of his contract, with claiming teams awarded priority based on their position in the reverse standings order.

The Reds are 68-74, fifth in the National League Central and 19.5 games behind the division lead. They sit eighth in the Wild Card race, 6.5 games behind the cut line, with five weeks remaining in the regular season.

Morosi characterized Seattle as being "in prime position, if they are interested in an Act III with Suárez," referencing the infielder's prior tenure with the organization. The Mariners previously traded Suárez to Cincinnati in a deal that also included an outfielder heading to the Reds.

Why it matters

The waiver placement gives clubs a chance to add Suárez without surrendering prospects or players in trade, though the claiming team would inherit the balance of his contract through the end of the season. For Cincinnati, the move signals a shift in roster construction with a month left in a season that has seen the club fall out of realistic playoff contention.

For Seattle, the waiver priority creates an opportunity to reunite with a player who previously wore a Mariners uniform. The club's position near the bottom of the contender tier in the standings—Morosi described them as having "one of the worst records of any viable contender"—places them ahead of stronger clubs in the waiver queue, a rare advantage for a team still in the playoff conversation.

The reverse-order waiver system is designed to promote competitive balance, giving clubs with weaker records first access to players who become available late in the season. A team with postseason aspirations but a middling record can leapfrog division leaders and Wild Card front-runners, provided it is willing to take on the financial commitment.

Where the Reds stand

Cincinnati enters the weekend 68-74, winners of its most recent game but 19.5 games behind in the National League Central. The club is 6.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot with eight teams ahead of it in that race, a gap that has effectively closed the door on October baseball.

The Reds open a three-game series at Wrigley Field on Friday, with Rhett Lowder scheduled to face the Cubs' David Peterson. Andrew Abbott and Chase Burns are the probable starters for Saturday and Sunday, opposing Kevin Gausman and Shota Imanaga.

The waiver placement of Suárez and Friedl, per Morosi's report, suggests the front office is beginning to reshape the roster with an eye toward the future rather than the final month of this season.

What we don't know yet

Whether Seattle or any other club has filed a claim on Suárez remains unreported. Morosi's post characterized the Mariners as being "in prime position" due to waiver priority but did not indicate whether the club has expressed interest or submitted a claim.

The financial terms of Suárez's current contract were not disclosed in the report, leaving unclear how much salary a claiming team would assume for the season's final weeks. That figure will influence whether clubs with payroll flexibility are willing to use their waiver priority.

The timeline for resolution is also unspecified. Outright waivers typically run 48 hours, but the report did not state when the waiver period began or when a claiming team would be announced.

What to watch

If Suárez clears waivers unclaimed, Cincinnati would retain the option to release him, assign him outright to the minors if he has options remaining, or keep him on the major-league roster. A claim by Seattle would mark another chapter of Suárez's tenure with the organization, following his earlier time with the Mariners and his subsequent move to Cincinnati.

The Mariners' position in the standings will determine their priority in the waiver order. Clubs with worse records but no realistic playoff path—sellers rather than buyers—are unlikely to claim a player mid-season, leaving contenders with middling records as the most probable landing spots.

Friedl's availability on waivers, also reported by Morosi, adds a second Cincinnati outfielder to the pool of players who could change organizations before the end of August. Whether the two moves are part of a broader roster reset or isolated transactions will become clearer as the Reds navigate the final weeks of the season.

For Seattle, the decision hinges on whether the front office views Suárez as a fit for the current roster and whether the financial commitment aligns with the club's payroll structure. The waiver system offers a low-cost acquisition path in terms of prospect capital, but the salary obligation and roster spot must still pencil out for a team evaluating its own playoff chances.

The coming days will determine whether Suárez remains in Cincinnati, returns to Seattle, or lands with a third club willing to use its waiver priority on a veteran infielder with American League West familiarity.