“I’ve just been looking down at this every couple of minutes,” Suter said while eyeing his jersey. “Like, it’s real. It’s real. It’s a dream come true.

“I’ve got chills, baby. Goosebumps.”

Suter, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal earlier this month, interacted with Reds fans and discussed the excitement of returning home. The 34-year-old left-handed relief pitcher is a 2008 Moeller High School graduate.

Suter spent seven seasons with Milwaukee before pitching for Colorado last year. He’s 40-22 with a 3.49 ERA in 253 appearances, including 41 starts in his major league career.

Suter went 4-3 with a 3.33 ERA and had 55 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings for the Rockies in 2023.

“Being able to play at home this year — hopefully for the next couple years — it’s just an absolute pinnacle of a dream being a big-league ball player,” Suter said. “I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Suter said Monday night that the significance of playing for the Reds will go beyond simply stepping foot at Great American Ball Park.

“There’s so much to it — being with my family, my kiddos, first and foremost,” said Suter, an Anderson Township resident. “Being able to have my family and friends go to any game they want to go to is just super special.”

Suter will report with pitchers and catchers on Feb. 14 in Goodyear, Ariz., and the Reds’ first full-squad spring training workout is on Feb. 19.

Cincinnati opens the season at Great American Ball Park against the Washington Nationals on March 28.

“It’s an unofficial holiday for Cincinnati,” Suter said of Opening Day. “Knowing how special it is, being a part of it and doing the parade — it’s a crazy atmosphere that I’m looking forward to so much. I get chills talking about it. It brings Cincinnati together so much more than any other event of the year.”