Cincinnati’s Eugenio Suarez is one of the most underrated players in the league and could be good betting value for both NL MVP and MLB home-run king this year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Suarez’s 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
Eugenio Suarez MLB Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- Most home runs of any batter: Suarez is +2500
- NL MVP Award: Suarez is +4000
That the MLB season was suspended in mid-March may have been a blessing in disguise for Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez as he underwent shoulder surgery in late January. Why? Somehow, Suarez injured himself in a swimming pool. It was no sure thing that he was going to be ready for the original Opening Day but now will be if there is a season.
The Reds have another All-Star third baseman on their roster in Mike Moustakas, who was signed to a four-year, $64 million contract in December to become their second baseman. It was possible that Moustakas could have opened the season at third if Suarez wasn’t ready.
Last year, Suarez ranked second in the Major Leagues with a career-high 49 HR, a record for a player from Venezuela and the National League record for HR in a season by a player at that position. His 49 dingers were the most by any MLB third baseman since the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez hit 52 in 2007. Suarez led the majors with 15 HR in the first inning, a franchise record.
Suarez’s 49 homers were the most by a Reds batter since George Foster established the single-season franchise record with 52 HR in 1977. After the All-Star break, Suarez led the Major Leagues with 29 HR, a new club record for HR in the second half of a season (27, Ted Kluszewski, 1954), and led the National League in slugging percentage (.684).
In the fourth inning on Sept. 18 at Wrigley Field, Suarez hit his 48th HR (solo off Jon Lester) to establish a new record for HR in a season by a player from Venezuela. The previous record was held by Andrés Galarraga (47, 1996).
Hall of Famer Tony Pérez previously held the club record for third basemen with 40 HR overall in 1970, including 39 HR while playing third base. Suarez and Pérez are the only third basemen in club history with at least 25 HR in 3 seasons and the only third basemen in club history with at least 30 HR in 2 seasons.
Suarez was the National League’s Player of the Month for September, his first monthly award. He led the NL in on-base percentage (.455), slugging percentage (.747) and OPS (1.202) while ranking second in HR (10), fourth in batting average (.337) and T6th in RBI (18).
Following Aristides Aquino’s NL Player of the Month award in August, Suarez and Aquino became the first different Reds players to win consecutive monthly awards since Joe Morgan (August) and George Foster (July) did it in 1976. Overall, the Reds had more than 3 Players of the Month in the same season for the first time since 1988 (LHP John Franco in July, CF Eric Davis in August, LHP Danny Jackson in August).
In 2019, Suarez ranked third in home runs per at-bat (11.7) and sixth in total bases (329), but he led the majors in strikeouts (189). His walk rate held steady at 10.6 percent but his strikeout percentage rose to a career worst 28.5 percent while his isolated power (.301) spiked to a career high.
The 28-year-old is entering the third year of a seven-year, $66 million contract that runs through the 2024 season, with a $15 million club option for ’25. Suarez’s 83 homers over the last 2 seasons are second-most of any player in the Major Leagues behind the Angels’ Mike Trout (84).
