Eugenio Suarez had a week to remember. The veteran slugger did not stop after achieving a major personal milestone, but went ahead with winning over fans without even swinging a bat. During Saturday’s rain delay at Great American Ball Park, Suarez’s heartwarming gesture earned the 35-year-old widespread praise.
The matchup between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers was delayed for 2 hours and 22 minutes during the bottom of the fourth due to pouring rain. While others waited inside the dugouts, anxious for the weather to pass, Suarez chose to brave the rain and made several young fans’ day.
He was initially running toward the dugout but immediately backtracked upon noticing the kids waiting anxiously in the stands. Cameras caught him standing completely exposed to the downpour while patiently signing autographs for the excited children.
Sharing the video, a user wrote on X, “Eugenio Suárez. Class Act. Signing autographs for kids in the pouring rain.”
Suarez’s gesture comes after he officially became an American citizen on September 2, after he passed his naturalization test. The Venezuelan native missed two games to complete the process in Miami. The test includes a written English language exam, an oral civics test, and an interview — all of which Suarez needed to pass.
He returned to the Reds lineup on Friday. He is under a one-year, $15 million contract with the Reds. Suarez’s journey in MLB began as an international free agent signed by the Detroit Tigers in 2008. He was 17 years old at the time. The now-American has spent 13 years in MLB playing for the Tigers, Reds, Mariners, and D-backs. He is now settling down in America for good.
Suarez’s teammates on the Reds welcomed him with a special greeting following his return on Friday. His teammates changed his walk-up song to “God Bless the USA” to celebrate his new citizenship. They also chanted “USA”, “USA” when he entered the dugout. Manager Terry Francona termed the moment as “very, very cool.”
Suarez honored his new citizenship with a massive homer during the series opener. He is hitting .209 with 21 home runs across 110 games this season. Suarez went 2-for-4 and scored a run despite the rain delay on Saturday.
Several baseball players have officially become American citizens before Suarez. Hall of Famer Rod Carew, a native of Panama, obtained US citizenship in 2024. He was 78 at the time. The same year, in March, Jose Quintana also became a US citizen ahead of his Opening Day game with the New York Mets. Quintana was born in Colombia.
As the video of Suarez’s heartwarming gesture went viral on social media, fans poured into the comments to share their admiration for the veteran.
Fans react to Eugenio Suarez’s signing autographs in rain
When someone enjoys a spotlight, criticism automatically follows. After 13 years in MLB, Eugenio Suarez is definitely at the center of attention. This season, his sharp decline in performance has attracted heavy criticism. Suarez has hit only 21 homers compared to last year’s 49. But such genuine gestures continue to impress fans, who do not want to hear anything against him.
Hence, one fan wrote, “He’s a great dude. I wish the haters would get off his a**”
Another fan recalled another good-hearted gesture from Suarez. They commented, “Eugenio threw us a ball when I went to the Dodgers game last year. Pretend that he wasn’t going to do it, then he did. Class Act Good Guy.”
A fan remarked, “I miss Geno but honestly Seattle didn’t deserve his return.”
Suarez played with the Mariners during two separate stints at Seattle. The Mariners first acquired him from the Reds ahead of the 2023 season. He played all 162 games for the Mariners, hitting 22 homers and 96 RBI. However, they traded him to the Arizona Diamondbacks after 2023. They reacquired him again in 2025 during the trade deadline, hoping for a mid-season offensive boost.
Another user asked, “I thought Suarez was put on waivers??”
The Cincinnati Reds indeed placed Suarez on the waivers in late August this season alongside TJ Friedl. However, he went unclaimed and joined the Reds lineup again.
Another fan shared a similar autograph from Suarez’s time in Seattle. He wrote, “He is a terrific guy. I saw him last year at the last game of the season in Seattle. He was signing autographs and interacting with the fans- even going out of his way for one elderly lady. Not all the Mariners were so gracious, I must say.”
“Geno is the man! I was sad when he left the D-backs,” commented a Diamondbacks fan, wanting him back.
Suarez joined the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024 and left the team after being traded in the middle of 2025. Batting .253, he hit 66 homers and 187 RBI for the D’backs across 264 games.