Eugenio Suárez injury update clears the way for Cubs to stay aggressive

Eugenio Suárez did not play in the Arizona Diamondbacks' game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night, but further testing confirmed Suárez avoided a serious injury after being hit in the right index finger by a fastball on Monday. Initial X-rays on Monday night were negative, and that was the same result as the CT scan and MRI that were completed on Tuesday.

By most accounts, the Chicago Cubs are a top suitor for Suárez as the MLB trade deadline nears. As of Wednesday morning, Suárez is expected to be in the Diamondbacks' lineup for their game against the Tigers this afternoon.

It will be curious to see if Suárez does play in today's game. The Diamondbacks are off on Thursday, so today would be their only chance to prove that he is healthy. That said, the risk remains that Suárez aggravates the injury even further by playing today. Teams like the Cubs likely want to ensure Suárez is playing, able to swing the bat, and throw from third base unimpeded before pulling the trigger on a trade.

Of course, even though Suárez seemingly has a clean bill of health, teams likely will use the injury scare to try and lower the asking price of the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks are believed to have an "astronomical" asking price for Suárez, and it may already be forcing teams like the Seattle Mariners to pivot in a different direction.

Cubs stay locked in on Eugenio Suárez after positive, expected injury update

While the Diamondbacks, in theory, could hold onto Suárez and extend a qualifying offer to him at the start of the offseason, it stands to reason they would rather get something in return for the All-Star third baseman before the deadline on Thursday.

Recent speculation suggests the Diamondbacks want a current MLB player, an upper-level prospect, and a lower-level prospect in exchange for Suárez. Given the emergence of Matt Shaw at third base, the Cubs are in a position to call the Diamondbacks' bluff, especially now with the recent injury scare.

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