Eugenio Suárez’s DH way of life is a piece in progress

MIAMI — For 10 years, Eugenio Suárez had as constant of a routine as nearly anybody within the huge leagues. He performed third base successfully each single day, averaging 145 begins per season at that place and totaling 1,365 begins at third base over 10 years.

The solely gamers in all of baseball who appeared in additional video games at one particular place than Suárez did at third base between 2016 and 2025 had been Freddie Freeman, Francisco Lindor and Paul Goldschmidt.

This yr, Suárez is experiencing one thing utterly new to him. For the primary time in his profession, he’s a daily DH.

Designated hitter is a novel place. Sometimes, you find yourself sitting round for an hour between at-bats. The finest designated hitters work out a selected routine to maintain them engaged, contemporary and prepared for his or her at-bats.

What’s Suárez’s routine?

“I haven’t built one yet,” Suárez mentioned. “I promise you, I’ll find one that will pay off.”

Before this season, Suárez had totaled 32 profession begins at DH. Only as soon as in his complete profession had he been the DH in back-to-back video games.

Now with the Reds in 2026, DH is his new dwelling. He’ll get begins at third base at times, however the Reds signed Suárez to be the staff’s DH. So far this yr, he has made 9 begins at DH and two at third base.

“He has handled himself really well,” Terry Francona mentioned. “We’ll try to get him in at third a bit to keep him sharp. We envisioned him playing some first base, but it’s hard with Sal (Stewart) right now. I don’t think anybody wants Sal not to play.”

During video games thus far this season, Suárez is often on the bench cheering on his teammates. Now after which, he’ll go inside to stretch his legs or take just a few swings.

“I’m trying to figure out something,” Suárez mentioned. “I’m trying to keep my body moving. It’s new for me. I have to create one routine. I’m trying to figure out what’s the best for me. Right now, I’ll keep my body moving, go inside between innings, try to move my legs, swing a little bit. Keep my rhythm to not be too comfortable or too loose during the game, and to keep focused.”

If anybody has any concepts, Suárez is all ears.

He thought that Nathaniel Lowe had been a full-time DH earlier than, so he requested Lowe about what to do. When the Reds confronted the Pirates, Suárez requested Pirates DH Marcell Ozuna, “What do you got?”

“He didn’t give me much,” Suárez mentioned. “He’s just ready to hit.”

When the Reds confronted the Rangers, he requested the identical query to Texas DH Joc Pederson. He realized about what Pederson does to “relax” between at-bats, however Suárez looks like that strategy wouldn’t work as a lot for him as a result of he looks like he has to maintain shifting.

As he figures out what to do between at-bats, Suárez hopes to get the skilled opinion of all skilled opinions. He needs to listen to from the perfect DH within the sport: Shohei Ohtani.

“I’m going to ask Ohtani: What’s your routine?” Suárez mentioned. “It’s not like he’s my best friend, but I know him. We’ve had a couple of conversations. We were in the All-Star Game last year. He knows me, and he might give me something. We’ll see. I’m going to ask for sure.”

Asking the perfect DH within the recreation is the very same strategy that Reds assistant bench coach Mike Napoli used a decade in the past, when he was in the identical place that Suárez is now.

For 10 years, starting together with his debut in 2006, Napoli performed the sphere day by day (catcher and first base). Then in 2016, taking part in for Terry Francona in Cleveland, Napoli DH’ed a career-high 51 occasions.

“It was a lot different,” Napoli mentioned. “You’re sitting around a lot. You can swing at the first pitch, get out and then have three innings where you have to figure out what to do to stay in the flow of the game.”

Before he joined the Guardians, Napoli had performed for the Red Sox alongside David Ortiz. When Napoli turned a daily DH in 2016, he linked with Ortiz to ask for recommendation.

“He was a lot different (than myself),” Napoli mentioned. “He was able to just go in the locker room, chill and then hit a homer. I never wanted to be inside watching the game. Some guys could just chill. I couldn’t.”

Napoli found out his routine over the course of the yr, watching the sport from the dugout so he might actually really feel like he was part of the sport, after which taking swings off the tee — with just a few mushy toss flips blended in — to prepare for his at-bats.

Maybe that strategy would work for Suárez, however possibly not.

“Everyone is different,” Napoli mentioned. “You’ve got to find what keeps you locked in and stretched out so you’re not getting too stiff. It’s going to be an adjustment for (Suárez).”

Being a DH is a distinct way of life, and it’s one which Suárez continues to be getting used to.

Entering Wednesday evening, he’s hitting .195 with a .591 OPS with 15 strikeouts in 41 at-bats. He has spoken in regards to the significance of adjusting to the excessive fastball.

On the opposite hand, he has already swung a few video games together with his energy. One of the highlights of his season was his pinch-hit homer final week towards the Pirates that bought the Reds again into the sport.

“The one game he didn’t (start), he was so loud in the dugout that I thought I’m not sitting him anymore,” Francona mentioned. “Then, he pinch hit and hit a pinch-hit home run. He has a lot of good energy. A lot of guys have energy. He always seems to have positive energy.”

Suárez can be consistently on the middle of conversations within the clubhouse, connecting throughout the staff.

“Everything that everybody said about him is true,” Francona mentioned. “People gravitate toward him. It’s hard not to. I haven’t heard him say anything remotely not positive. He brings a ton of energy.”