Last updated: 2026-08-27 · Published: 2026-08-27
The Cincinnati Reds have placed veteran third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder TJ Friedl on waivers, per a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The move comes days after Suarez hit a go-ahead grand slam during a stunning seven-run ninth-inning comeback against the San Francisco Giants, a win Cincinnati pulled off 10-9 after trailing 9-3.
Neither player has been designated for assignment. Both remain eligible to keep playing for Cincinnati while the 48-hour waiver process plays out, with a resolution expected Thursday afternoon.
Key facts at a glance
| Players placed on waivers | Eugenio Suarez (3B/DH) and TJ Friedl (OF) |
| Timing | Reported Aug. 26-27, 2026; 48-hour window resolves Thursday |
| Status | Not designated for assignment; can still play for Cincinnati |
| Triggering moment | Suarez grand slam in 7-run 9th-inning win over the Giants (10-9) |
| Suarez salary | $15MM this season, roughly $2.5MM remaining |
| Suarez contract status | Free agent at season’s end; $16MM mutual option for 2027 |
| Friedl situation | $3.8MM arbitration salary; technically under club control two more seasons |
Why the Reds made the move
The waiver system lets a non-contending club offer a veteran before the season’s final month, hoping a contender claims him and takes over the remainder of the contract. If claimed, the uncompetitive team clears salary while the player gets a shot in a pennant race. The placement is irrevocable: Cincinnati would lose either player to any team that submits a claim, but that is the outcome the club is hoping for.
If nobody claims them, the Reds can finish the final month just as they would have otherwise. The late-August waiver market has grown in recent years, most memorably in 2023 when the Angels used the waiver route to shed money.
How Suarez and Friedl have performed
Suarez remains the bigger name and would offer a contender right-handed power and a strong clubhouse presence off the bench. This season he has hit 19 home runs but has struck out at a 35% clip and carries a below-average .208/.295/.410 line across 410 plate appearances. Any claiming team would take over roughly $2.5MM of his remaining $15MM salary, and would almost certainly decline the club’s end of a $16MM mutual option for 2027.
Friedl entered the year as Cincinnati’s leadoff man and primary center fielder after hitting .261/.364/.378 across 152 games last season. The 2026 campaign has gone poorly: he is batting .158/.242/.234 with three home runs in 253 plate appearances, struck out at a career-high 23% clip, spent most of June in Triple-A, and is hitting .106 with one homer in 26 games since being recalled. The waiver placement signals the Reds are unlikely to tender him a contract for next season.
Who might claim them
Waiver claim order runs in inverse order of the standings and is not league-specific, so the Angels hold top priority, followed by the Rockies, Athletics and Giants among the majors’ worst records. Realistic candidates would be sub-.500 clubs still alive for a playoff spot: the Tigers, Twins, Mariners, Blue Jays and Orioles are among teams within four games of the postseason that could use a rental bat. Most experts expect both players could go unclaimed given the money and production involved.
Watch: the historic comeback that preceded the move
Reds Complete HISTORIC Comeback! Down 9-3, Win 10-9 in Stunning 9th Inning
This broadcast clip shows the full ninth-inning rally that put the story in motion: Cincinnati entered the final frame trailing 9-3 and batted around, scoring seven runs to win 10-9. Eugenio Suarez delivered the go-ahead grand slam in the sequence, a swing that in part lit up the trade-rumor wire a day later. No autoplay is used.
Confirmed vs. not yet confirmed
| Confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Suarez and Friedl were placed on waivers (reported by The Athletic, MLB Trade Rumors, CBS Sports) | Which specific team, if any, will claim either player |
| Neither has been designated for assignment yet | The final waiver outcome, which is expected Thursday afternoon |
| Suarez hit a grand slam in the 7-run 9th-inning win over the Giants | Trade-related follow-up moves by the Reds beyond this waiver placement |
The waiver placement is a reported process, not a finalized transaction; as of writing no team has announced a claim on either player.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the Reds putting Eugenio Suarez on waivers?
By placing Suarez on waivers, Cincinnati allows another team to claim him and take over the remainder of his contract, clearing payroll while removing a veteran who is unlikely to be part of the club’s future. The move also comes as a non-contender tries to give a respected veteran a shot at a contender’s playoff run.
Does placing a player on waivers mean he is cut from the team?
Not immediately. Suarez and Friedl were not designated for assignment, so they can keep playing for Cincinnati during the 48-hour window. Their fate depends on whether another team claims them; if none do, they stay with the Reds.
Who can claim Suarez or Friedl?
Any MLB team can submit a claim during the waiver window. Claim order runs in inverse order of the standings, without league restrictions, so teams with the worst records hold priority.
What are Eugenio Suarez’s numbers this season?
Through roughly 410 plate appearances he has 19 home runs, a 35% strikeout rate and a .208/.295/.410 batting line. He is playing on a $15MM salary for 2026.
What happens to Suarez’s contract after this season?
He is scheduled to be a free agent at season’s end. There is a $16MM mutual option for 2027, which the Reds or any claiming team would almost certainly decline.
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Sources: The Athletic (Ken Rosenthal), MLB Trade Rumors, CBS Sports, El Extrabase, NBC Sports, Sports Illustrated, theScore
