Suarez confident after 20-plus homer season

CINCINNATI — Tasked with replacing a popular All-Star at a position he rarely played before 2016, Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez did virtually all of his learning on the job and in front of thousands of fans. There were definitely plenty of peaks and valleys along the way, both at the plate and in the field.

Over a team-high 159 games — including 149 starts at third base — Suarez batted .248/.317/.411 with 21 home runs and 70 RBIs. Although he showed some power in 2015 with 13 homers over 97 games, his output this season still surprised him.

“It was a good year for me, because I hit 20. I never knew I could hit 20 home runs in one season in the big leagues,” Suarez said just before the season ended.

There were low-tide stretches in production as Suarez experienced the full-season grind of the big leagues for the first time. He batted .173 with a 0-for-28 skid in May. And over the final month of the season, he hit one homer.

Creeping into the batter’s box with Suarez were moments of doubt and frustration. He was given every opportunity to work through slumps, however, as the Reds stuck with a rebuilding program during a 94-loss season.

“When you’re struggling, …

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