Cincinnati Reds’ Terry Francona Sends Eugenio Suarez Message After World Baseball Classic
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona had a message for Eugenio Suarez after his stint for Team Venezuela at the WBC.
The Cincinnati Reds are welcoming back one of their biggest offseason additions following an impressive run on the international stage. Veteran right-handed slugger Eugenio Suarez spent the past two weeks representing Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, and his performance gave both fans and his new team plenty to be excited about. Suarez, who signed a one‑year, $15 million contract with Cincinnati in February, is expected to play a major role in the middle of the Reds lineup this season.
His return to the organization, where he spent some of the best years of his career from 2015 to 2021, has already generated plenty of optimism. Before even stepping back into the Reds clubhouse, he made headlines with his play on the biggest international stage. After Suarez’s strong showing, Reds manager Terry Francona made it clear how excited the organization is to have him back.
“He is an impact hitter,” Francona said on Wednesday ( h/t Mark Sheldon of MLB. com ). “I think we are all thrilled for him.
I hope playing in a couple of those games and playing the whole game can kind of make up for some of the time he has missed here with us. ” Suarez appeared in five games during the tournament, going 4‑for‑20 with two home runs and four RBIs. His biggest moment came in the championship game, when he delivered a go‑ahead RBI double in the ninth inning to lift Venezuela to a 3‑2 victory over Team USA, securing the country’s first WBC title.