If the New York Mets are serious about making a run in 2026, they’ve got to do more than just build around Juan Soto - they need to protect him. With Pete Alonso now in Baltimore, the Mets’ lineup has lost its primary right-handed power bat.
And while they’ve already taken steps to reinforce the bullpen and are expected to add starting pitching, there's still a glaring hole in the middle of the order. That’s where a name like Eugenio Suárez starts to make a lot of sense.
No, Suárez isn’t the kind of headline-grabbing free agent that dominates winter meetings. But that might actually work in the Mets’ favor.
He’s a second-tier option with first-tier pop - and that’s exactly what this lineup needs. The Mets have made it clear that adding offense, especially from the right side, is a top priority this offseason.
They want someone who can lengthen the lineup and make it harder for opposing teams to pitch around Soto. Suárez fits that mold.
Now, let’s talk fit and timing.
Suárez is 33 and coming off a season that was, frankly, a tale of two halves. On paper, the power numbers still jump off the page: 49 home runs, 118 RBIs.
That’s elite production in today’s game. But after being traded midseason, his bat cooled significantly - he hit just .189 with 13 homers and 31 RBIs in 53 games down the stretch.
In the postseason, he showed flashes but didn’t catch fire, batting .213 with three home runs in 12 games.
That kind of inconsistency, especially for a veteran, tends to lead to shorter-term deals - which is exactly the kind of contract the Mets have shown a willingness to hand out. It’s a calculated risk: bet on the upside, manage the downside. And in Suárez’s case, the upside is a right-handed bat with legitimate 30-40 home run potential, even if it comes with some swing-and-miss.
From a lineup construction standpoint, this is where things get interesting. With Soto likely hitting in the two- or three-hole, the Mets need someone behind him who can do damage - someone who forces pitchers to throw strikes to Soto instead of working around him.
Suárez, for all his streakiness, commands respect in that spot. Pitchers don’t get to relax when he’s on deck.
There’s also a window of opportunity here. Suárez’s market has been quiet, in part because bigger names like Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman are still unsigned.
Teams in need of infield help are waiting to see where the top-tier dominoes fall before turning to Plan B. But if the Mets are proactive, they don’t have to wait.
They can move quickly, get a deal done, and plug a major hole before the market heats up again.
There’s been some buzz about Suárez potentially landing with a rebuilding club - the kind of team where he can put up numbers, rebuild his value, and get flipped at the deadline. That’s a common path for veterans in his spot.
But the Mets don’t need to wait for that cycle to play out. They can go straight to the source and bring him in now, giving him a real role on a team with postseason aspirations.
Bottom line: If the Mets want to protect their investment in Soto and stay competitive in a stacked NL East, they’ll need to find right-handed power - and soon. Eugenio Suárez might not be the flashiest name left on the board, but he checks the boxes.
Power. Experience.
Positional fit. And most importantly, he gives pitchers something to think about after they deal with Soto.
That’s the kind of move that could quietly pay big dividends come October.