With the trade deadline looming and their playoff hopes flickering, the Arizona Diamondbacks are standing at a crossroads. Buried in the NL West standings, the team may be forced to sell, whether they like it or not. GM Mike Hazen didn’t rule it out either, saying, “We just need to be within a distance that we feel like we’re being responsible for adding to this team.” And the player who is at the heart of the trade speculations? Their red-hot third baseman, who’s having one of the best seasons of his career.

Yes—the same player who’s making All-Star buzz for the first time since his 2018 season: Eugenio Suárez.

Suárez, who is on a $66 million deal with the Diamondbacks, is on fire this season and is on track for a career year with no signs of slowing down. The slugger is hitting .250/.318/.879 with 27 home runs, ranking fourth in all of MLB. Not only that, with 70 RBIs, he’s tied for third in the league. So, it’s understandable why his name floats to the top of trade talks, but Suarez doesn’t seem to be on board with the rumors.

“I don’t want to leave Arizona,” the 33-year-old made clear in an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. “Obviously, we know how the business of baseball is. But right now, I feel comfortable. I feel every time we win a game, we’ve got a chance to make the playoffs. Every time we lose, maybe something like that pops in my mind. Which is not good for me. I don’t want to get traded.”

But as one of the few names on the roster who could hit free agency soon, the D-backs could easily pull Suarez into trade conversations. Even though there haven’t been any contract talks from their side yet, many experts see the right-hander as a solution to other teams’ lineup gaps.

For example, he could be a seasoned slugger to support Aaron Judge on the Yankees roster, per Jim Bowden. “Arizona could swap him in a buyer-to-buyer type of trade for a starting pitcher or impact reliever,” Bowden wrote. “The Diamondbacks’ top prospect, Jordan Lawlar, could replace Suárez, 33, at the hot corner if he’s traded. A reunion with the Mariners or a deal with the Yankees—who could then move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second base—would make a lot of sense.”

However, Suárez has made his stance clear by saying, “If I could choose one place to go, I would want to stay here,”—clearly hoping for a long-term future with the team, but the Diamondbacks can’t guarantee anything right now.

Suarez has been one of the team’s best-producing sluggers this season, making him a fan favorite in Arizona, but the front office may have other plans.

Meanwhile, the Cubs may also join the Yankees in the pursuit of Suarez.

Cubs may be monitoring Eugenio Suárez

With the trade deadline just four weeks away, every front office is knee-deep in strategy to boost their postseason hopes, and the Cubs are no different. Chicago is leading the NL Central with a strong 53–35 record, sitting 4.5 games ahead of the Brewers. So, it’s no surprise they plan to be aggressive at the deadline to lock in their October push. While President Jed Hoyer already hinted at adding pitching, they might be eyeing sluggers too and Suárez might be on their radar.

One of the top positions in need of urgent attention for the Cubs is third base as they make their postseason push. “The win-now mode puts Matt Shaw under the microscope at third base, where his defense has been spectacular and his offensive production has been lacking,” The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney wrote.

According to Mooney, “Looking ahead to potential October matchups, it would make sense to add another right-handed hitter to pair with first baseman Michael Busch.” He went on to list Suárez as one of the third basemen the Cubs should keep an eye on.

Even though veteran Justin Turner is currently with the team, he’s 40 years old. So, the Cubs might need to think beyond the postseason experience he brings and look for a more reliable bat for the stretch.

If the Diamondbacks do decide to sell, Suárez could be one of their most valuable trade pieces, and Chicago should absolutely consider making a move for the former All-Star. But with multiple teams showing interest, landing Suárez won’t be an easy task. We’ll find out how this story unfolds in just a few weeks.