Drayer: Mariners trade Alex Colomé to White Sox for catcher Omar Narváez

It is not the Robinson Canó/Edwin Díaz trade to the Mets that the baseball world is awaiting, but the Mariners made a trade Friday morning, sending Alex Colomé to the Chicago White Sox for catcher Omar Narváez.

M’s near blockbuster with Mets, but Thursday ends with only minor moves

Narváez fills the void at starting catcher created by the earlier trade this month of Mike Zunino to Tampa Bay.

“Omar has quietly developed into one of the tougher outs among catchers in MLB,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a press release. “His contact and on-base skills are welcome additions to our lineup. The fact that he is also under club control through 2022 made him a great fit for our club.”

The 26-year-old Narváez, who has split time at catcher for the White Sox the past two seasons, debuted in 2016 and has hit .274/.366/.379 with 90 walks and 124 strikeouts in 734 big league plate appearances. Narváez had a “Junino” of his own in 2018 when he led the majors with a .379 average from June 1 to July 31, while also ranking eighth with a .422 on-base percentage (minimum 100 plate appearances).

TIE GAME!

Omar Narváez hits a 3-run shot to tie this game 3-3!

Stream it here: https://t.co/5JXZNoVsdZ pic.twitter.com/gwv9VjPHXD

— NBC Sports Chicago (@NBCSChicago) June 16, 2018

Behind the plate, the left-handed hitting catcher was tied for sixth in the majors and was fourth in the American League in tossing out 24.1 percent of attempted base stealers (21 caught stealing, 66 stolen bases) last season.

Narváez will be arbitration eligible in 2020 and is under club control through 2022.

The move answers one of the big questions about the Mariners’ offseason, filling the need left behind the plate when Zunino was traded to the Rays with Guillermo Heredia for Mallex Smith and minor league outfielder Jake Fraley. With the addition of Narváez the Mariners now have two catchers on the 40-man roster, which is now at 36.

Colomé, 29, appeared in 47 games after being acquired from Tampa Bay by the Mariners last May. A one-time closer who made the American League All-Star team in 2016, Colomé formed a formidable duo with Díaz, serving as the primary set-up man for the dynamic young closer. His Mariners tenure ends with a 5-0 record,2.53 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 30 holds and one save over 46 1/3 innings.

Listen: M’s insider Shannon Drayer talks rumored Mets trade, Colomé deal