Commentary: After bringing back Josh Naylor, the Mariners must stay aggressive

What would 1% better look like?

For the Seattle Mariners, is it enough?

The answers did not arrive at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday, though the Mariners’ top priority certainly did. Josh Naylor stepped into the interview room at 10:36 a.m., flanked by his family, sporting a baby blue suit with white sneakers and shiny silver spikes. He sat at a table underneath a pair of monitors, which featured photos of the 28-year-old first baseman and one bolded word:

SIGNED

Given this franchise’s frustrating frugality, the deal was bold indeed: five years and $92.5 million, plus a full no-trade clause and a $6.5 million signing bonus. It is the biggest deal in years and dollars Seattle has struck with a free-agent position player since Robinson Cano committed for 10 years and $240 million in December 2013.

It was also, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Tuesday, “a no-brainer” and “about as simple a decision as we could make organizationally.”

That is because Naylor is coming off his best season, in which he slashed .295/.353/.462 with 20 homers, 29 doubles, 92 RBI and 30 stolen bases. Because he hit .299 and went 19 for 19 on stolen bases in 54 games for the Mariners after arriving at the trade deadline. Because he instantly ingratiated himself to fans, becoming the swashbuckling captain of “Naylor’s Sailors.” Because the franchise had an obvious organizational hole at first base. Because T-Mobile Park did not petrify him. Because, well, he wanted to be here – something premier position players do not often say.

But why was this decision equally simple for Naylor? Why sign so soon, denying other suitors?

Because, he believes, this is the beginning – of the offseason and the breakthrough to come.

“This team is so complete,” Naylor said Tuesday. “In my opinion, you can always get better. I think me signing early like this helps that opportunity of them going for other players and possibly getting this team 1% better, let’s call it. So, yeah: this team’s crazy good.”

Good? Absolutely. Crazy good? Debatable.

Not good enough, yet, to reach the ultimate goal.

After falling eight outs shy of the franchise’s first World Series appearance, the focus should not be on running it back – but getting better. Naylor’s signing was nonnegotiable, an alley-oop the Mariners could not afford to miss.

Dipoto admitted that “it would have been negligence if we went into the offseason and the first thing we did was let Josh walk away because of some business decision, instead of stepping up and doing the thing that kept the band together, then go at finding ways to make the next move.”

There are more moves to be made. Instruments to add to the orchestra.

Naylor, apparently, approves of the plan. Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander flew to meet Naylor, his wife (Chantel) and his agent (Mark Pieper) before the first baseman re-signed. For three to four hours, they shared their backgrounds, motivations and vision for the Mariners’ future. Naylor received a call from majority owner John Stanton as well.

“It went well enough that we almost missed our flight on the way back, because we just kept talking about the future and sharing the same vision for what this team could be,” Hollander said. “I was blown away by how much thought Josh had put into what was important to him.

“It was awesome. It was a great time. We could have stayed hours longer, just talking about the Mariners and the future. I think it helped provide everyone clarity.”

So, what does that clarity look like? Dipoto reinforced Tuesday that the team intends to add another bat and bullpen arm this offseason. A reunion with Jorge Polanco remains an obvious option, as the 32-year-old could contribute at designated hitter, second and first base. And while Dipoto and Hollander have intriguing young talent at second (Cole Young) and third (Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson), Naylor’s early signing affords a full offseason to find the right fit.

Tarik Skubal and Kyle Tucker are probably not coming to town.

Still, the Mariners must be aggressive. They cannot treat Tuesday’s signing like a victory lap. They cannot assume Cal Raleigh will keep historically raking, or that their prospects will hit the ground running (and hitting). After an agonizing ending, they cannot confuse close with complete.

“We have fewer holes than we’ve had at any point since we’ve been together to go fill,” Dipoto said. “We do have flexibility to go fill them, and we’re pretty tenacious in our desire to go find the right players, to make the transactions and to do the things to put the team on the field, and then respond when the team does special things like they did last summer and go out and find guys that can make us even better when that time comes.

“It’s an exciting time to be a Mariner, really from top to bottom, and I think it’s an exciting time to be a Mariner fan. We’re all excited about the complete picture.”

Credit Dipoto, Hollander and Co. for acting aggressively to get the Naylor deal done. That is an achievement for a franchise that does not always finish alley-oops.

But whether it’s 1%, 5%, 10%, the Mariners must get better. This team is not complete.

“I know this [offseason] isn’t done, in my opinion. We’ve got a lot more to do,” Naylor said. “It’s exciting not only for [the front office] but for me and the whole city, the teammates we have here. It’s going to be an awesome offseason, in my opinion.”