Former Mariners standout draws closer to end of the road after Astros release

Mention the name of Omar Narváez around a Mariners fan and you'd like to think there would be some form of a positive reaction given how well he performed during his one year in the Pacific Northwest. So by extension, there may be some sadness for a catcher who provided some fond memories in Seattle is now seemingly at the end of his Major League career.

As per a report from Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston, the Astros have released Narváez from the minor league contract he signed in early June. The catcher hit .258/.402/.333 with a .735 OPS in 27 Triple-A games for the organization, but never got an opportunity to show what he can do at the Major League level due to the Astros' options at the position.

This is the second time Narváez has been released this year, after previously being cut loose by the Chicago White Sox on May 20 after just four games in the big leagues. The writing sure seems to be on the wall for the 33-year-old, who has only played in 32 combined Major League games over these past two seasons.

Omar Narváez's best season came with the Mariners

This is such a shame for a player who was a big hit — both metaphorically and literally — during the 2019 season in Seattle. Narváez was one of the Mariners' best offensive threats that year, as he produced 22 home runs and 55 RBI as part of a .278/.353/.460 slash line, .813 OPS and 119 OPS+.

That 2019 season was the zenith of Narváez's 10 years in the majors, but the Mariners still decided to move on from him due to prioritizing defense and protecting their assets. This turned out to be the smart move. A certain Cal Raleigh was waiting in the wings, and we all know how his story turned out.

At the time, there was some criticism given Narváez's success and with the Mariners having him under club control for a further three years. However, with his 22 home runs in 2019 representing 42 percent of his total output in the majors, this again shows that the M's made the right decision in trading him to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Venezuela native did have his moments in Milwaukee, including the highlight of his one All-Star selection in 2021, but he was ultimately never able to take advantage consistently enough of the potential he displayed. We did wonder back in May if the Mariners should take another chance on Narváez, but that ship has now well and truly sailed. All that's left is to wish good luck to the Mariners' last good catcher before Raleigh.