Seattle Mariners: Offseason Trade Grades, Part 1

When entering a rebuild, there is absolutely no use for your veteran relievers. As fun as Álex Colomé‘s addition was last season, the need was no longer there and his two years of club control did not align with where the club is heading.

With rumors swirling about Edwin Díaz’s impending trade to the Mets, many thought Colomé would slot into the closer’s role following Jerry Dipoto’s comments about wanting to remain competitive in 2019. But those thoughts were quickly dashed, as word came down about a Colomé just hours before the official completion of the Diaz deal.

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of this deal was that Colomé was set to make $7 million in arbitration this season and the Mariners were able to rid themselves of all of it.

In return, the Mariners also receive 26-year-old catcher Omar Narváez, who finished eighth among catchers in fWAR with 2.1 last season. While there are concerns about Narváez’s defense behind the plate, he’s certainly the most offensively inclined catcher the Mariners have had in quite some time.

With four years left of control, the Mariners may have their catcher of the future, or perhaps a solid trade chip moving forward. This may be the most underrated deal of the offseason for them.

Grade: A