CINCINNATI — Eugenio Suarez had been on a tear at the plate, but the Cincinnati Reds third baseman needed a few days off in early September. The reason wasn’t an injury or a slump — it was the United States naturalization test.
Suarez, who was recruited out of Venezuela and has played for the Detroit Tigers and several other Major League Baseball teams before returning to the Reds in February 2026, missed two games in early September to complete the process of becoming a U.S. citizen, according to the team and multiple reports. He returned to the lineup on Sept. 4 and received a welcome that was distinctly American.
For his first at-bat as a citizen, Suarez’s teammates swapped his usual walk-up song for Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA (I’m Proud To Be An American).” The Cincinnati Reds’ official X account posted a video of the moment, showing the veteran infielder stepping to the plate as the anthem played over the stadium speakers.
The gesture was more than symbolic. Suarez had been riding a hot streak into the break — six home runs and 20 RBIs in August, with an impressive .852 OPS. In a sport that prizes momentum, a two-game pause could have disrupted his rhythm. But citizenship tests don’t schedule around batting slumps, and Suarez had no choice but to take the test when it was offered.
Whatever concern existed about the layoff evaporated quickly. In his second at-bat of the game, Suarez launched a three-run home run to put the Reds back in front. The team’s social media account celebrated with a clip of the blast, captioned “Eugenio Suárez rockets the @Reds back in front.”
The statement continued the next day. On Sept. 6, Suarez scored from second base on a wild pitch — a rare display of aggressive baserunning for a player not typically known for speed. The Reds’ X account posted the play with the tag “Known speedster, Eugenio Suárez.”
Suarez’s journey to citizenship began more than a decade ago, when he was signed out of Venezuela and brought into the Tigers’ organization. He made his MLB debut with Detroit before being traded to Cincinnati, where he became a fixture at third base. After stints with other clubs, he rejoined the Reds in February 2026 — just months before taking the oath of citizenship.
The celebration of Suarez’s milestone quickly rippled beyond the ballpark. On FOX News’ “The Big Weekend Show” Saturday, host Tomi Lahren used Suarez’s story to draw a pointed contrast with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sparked controversy by kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.
Lahren said a number of media outlets appeared more interested in “celebrating the tenth anniversary of Colin Kaepernick ruining sports and disrespecting our flag by taking a knee during the national anthem” than in highlighting patriotic players like Suarez. Her comments reflect a broader culture-war debate over how sports figures express — or decline to express — patriotism, but the Reds’ actions on the field Friday spoke for themselves.
For Suarez, the moment was personal. Immigrating to the United States from Venezuela, he built a successful major-league career while navigating the long and often difficult path to citizenship. His decision to step away from the diamond to take the test underscores how much the process meant to him.
Teammates and fans alike greeted his return with an outpouring of support, and he repaid them with a performance that made the night memorable. The three-run homer and the hard slide into home plate the next day were the kind of baseball moments that transcend statistics — they symbolized a player fully embracing his new country.
Suarez’s story also highlights a quieter side of MLB’s international player pipeline. Many of the league’s biggest stars were born abroad, and for decades, players have quietly taken citizenship tests during the season, often with little fanfare. Suarez’s teammates made sure his achievement got the recognition they felt it deserved.
The choice of Lee Greenwood’s song — a staple at patriotic events and political rallies — was not subtle. It was a direct, good-natured jab that doubled as a heartfelt tribute. And Suarez’s reaction, captured in the video posted by the Reds, showed a player savoring the moment.
As the Reds push toward the postseason, Suarez’s bat could be critical. But for at least one September evening, his citizenship mattered as much as his stats. The image of a Venezuelan-born third baseman rounding the bases after his first home run as an American — with Greenwood’s anthem still echoing — is the kind of scene that resonates well beyond the box score.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/mlb-star-gets-all-american-welcome-after-proudly-becoming-us-citizen