Reds, Suarez agree to 7-year extension

The Cincinnati Reds and third baseman Eugenio Suarez agreed Friday to a seven-year extension with a club option for 2025.

The 26-year-old is reportedly guaranteed $66 million over the seven years, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

The deal grants Suarez a $2-million signing bonus and will reportedly pay out $2.25 million in 2018, $7 million in 2019, $9.25 million in 2020, $10.5 million in 2021 and $11 million in each of the following three seasons. The team option for 2025 is worth $15 million with a $2-million buyout. The contract does not include a no-trade clause, according to Rosecrans.

Suarez entered his first season of arbitration this winter and was granted a $3.75-million salary for the upcoming season, which has seemingly been voided. Prior to the extension, he wouldn't have been eligible for free agency until 2021.

In a breakout 2017 campaign, he posted a .260/.367/.461 slash line with 26 home runs and four stolen bases.

The Reds' top prospect, Nick Senzel, is also a third baseman and doesn't seem especially far from cracking a major-league roster. However, upon being prompted by Rosecrans about what this means for the farmhand, Reds general manager Dick Williams downplayed the concern and noted the two infielders' positional flexibility. Over the past three seasons, Suarez has played 99 games at shortstop.