As MLB trade deadline week heats up, one of the top targets on the market has received a scare.
In the top of the ninth inning of a 5-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday, July 28, Arizona Diamondback third baseman Eugenio Suárez took a 96 mph fastball to his left hand from Tigers right-hander Will Vest.
Suárez, who is hitting .248 on the season with 36 home runs and 87 RBIs, was immediately tended to by a member of the Diamondbacks training staff before exiting the game in what appeared to be significant pain. He briefly fell down on his knees after the hit by the pitch while holding his hand.
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale confirmed that Suárez underwent X-rays, which came back negative. Diamondback manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that Suárez’s left hand and finger were ‘tender to the touch,’ according to The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen. Lovullo added that Suárez is day-to-day for now.
‘The good thing right now is we did the X-ray, and it was negative,’ Suárez said after the game. ‘We got more tests to do tomorrow. Right now, it’s painful, obviously.
‘The good news is the X-ray was negative. We’ll see tomorrow what else they’re going to do. Right now, I will do my best to try to be back soon.’
The Diamondbacks TV broadcast mentioned that they were able to hear the sound of Suárez getting drilled in the hand from the broadcast booth in Detroit.
Monday night’s event in Detroit is the second time in a matter of weeks that Suárez has taken a pitch to his left hand. He exited the All-Star Game on July 15 in the eighth inning after being hit by Chicago White Sox right-hander Shane Smith, for which X-rays came back negative.
Suárez has been one of the hottest names being shopped around by the Diamondbacks, who began their sell on July 24 by trading away Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners. USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale most recently reported on July 25 that the Mariners and New York Yankees have had talks with the Diamondbacks about their All-Star third baseman, with several other teams being linked to Suárez in other reports.
The MLB trade deadline closes at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 31.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
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