Going into the postseason, it seemed clear that signing Josh Naylor needed to be the Mariners' top priority this offseason. It made sense. He had hit like crazy since arriving in Seattle, and he was a long-term answer at first base, a position the Mariners have struggled to fill for a long time.
Sure, they got a few good seasons from Ty France and from guys like Logan Morrison and Justin Smoak in the early 2010s, but it's been a long time since the Mariners had a long-term slugger at first base. Naylor could be that guy, and there is no reason the Mariners should completely pivot from signing him to a long-term deal as a free agent this winter.