Eugenio Suarez's emotional return to Chase Field was met with a standing ovation, as the Diamondbacks welcomed back their former fan favorite with open arms.
Former teammate and Venezuelan countryman Eduardo Rodriguez paused briefly to let Suarez step out and salute the crowd, who erupted into cheers every time Suarez came up to bat. The reaction was so strong that the Diamondbacks played a tribute video to Suarez on the giant scoreboard, showering him with more applause and love.
Suarez spent less than two full seasons in Phoenix, traded at the deadline last year to the Seattle Mariners. The Diamondbacks' Latino players also celebrated Hispanic heritage with a photo opportunity, welcoming Suarez and his teammates to join them.
"He's a very special human being. He fit right into this organization like a glove," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said of Suarez. "He's a connector of human beings. And I just know how much he enjoyed his time here, but I could say the same thing for … the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds."
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks have bolstered their bullpen with the return of right-handed reliever Drey Jameson, who rejoined the team on August 23 after being activated from the 15-day injured list. Jameson had been scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Reno but was brought back to the majors instead.
Jameson had been dealing with injuries throughout his career and didn't play in 2024 to recover from elbow surgery. "Drey's been throwing the ball real well," Lovullo said. "He's healthy, there were some things that he was working on with his body to put himself in a position to go out and compete and stuff was really, really good."
The Diamondbacks also bid farewell to reliever Zack Littell, who was designated for assignment after less than two weeks with the team. Littell made three appearances for the Diamondbacks and went 1-0 but allowed 10 earned runs on 21 hits in 12 innings of work.
As the Diamondbacks face the Reds in a series finale on August 23, they are looking to bounce back from a loss on Saturday. The game is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. at Chase Field, with left-handed pitchers Mitch Bratt and Andrew Abbott taking the mound.
Source: Yahoo Sports