MLB insider has a specific scenario for Mariners to make a blockbuster signing

The Seattle Mariners have already made the biggest signing they were ever going to make this winter. If anyone is still waiting for them to top Josh Naylor's five-year, $92.5 million deal, here's some free advice: stop that.

Another bat is still needed, however, and the free-agent market is starting to look more appealing. The Mariners have mostly been involved in trade rumors, but now Ketel Marte's market is cooling and the St. Louis Cardinals are downright delusional on Brendan Donovan.

A reunion with Eugenio Suárez is still on the table, but what about the big fish? Do the Mariners have any chance on, say, an Alex Bregman or a Bo Bichette?

Jon Morosi has a specific scenario for Mariners to make a blockbuster signing

This is where we'll defer to MLB Network insider Jon Morosi, who tends to drop valuable intel whenever he appears on "Wyman and Bob" for Seattle Sports. And on Tuesday, he outlined a very specific scenario in which a bigger signing could make sense for Seattle:

"A lot of people I have talked to say the Mariners are very much focused on a shorter-term scenario. That again might sort of nudge you toward a Donovan trade or signing Geno back because they do believe that [Colt] Emerson can be an everyday player for them soon. They believe that [Ben] Williamson is an elite defender. They still believe that J.P. Crawford can play shortstop. For all of these reasons, you are probably not going to sign Alex Bregman to an eight-year deal. If there’s a one- or two-year deal out there at a really high number, maybe that makes sense."

Jon Morosi

Morosi went on to say that another bat is less of a "bonus" and more of a "mandate" for the Mariners. They therefore need to keep all their options open, including possibly scooping up a big name on a relatively small deal.

It was only last winter that Bregman showed a willingness to settle for such a deal, as he started out eyeing a $200 million deal before accepting $120 million from the Boston Red Sox.

However, it could be folly to expect Bregman and his agent, Scott Boras, to run the same play after opting out of that contract in November. He'll be 32 years old on March 30, so it's now or never for him to get a long-term deal that fully maximizes his earning potential. And per the latest buzz, the Red Sox may be willing to play ball with him on that front.

Between that and how the Mariners don't seem motivated to add a third baseman anyway, Bregman might not make much sense for Seattle. If anything, Bichette might be their better bet if they're game for a one- or two-year megadeal.

As a 27-year-old with a track record as an All-Star shortstop, he should be in for a huge contract. But he's also had injury issues three years in a row, and he's reportedly willing to move off short to play second base. A one-year wager on himself could be worth his while in the long run. And with second base looming as more of a pressing short-term need than third base, the Mariners should be interested in indulging him… at least in theory.

In reality, we're probably talking about a very, very long shot. Jon Heyman of the New York Post said during a B/R livestream on Tuesday that six teams are in on Bichette. That doesn't mean he's getting a bunch of multi-year offers, but a market that strong can only help his cause.

Instead of Bregman or Bichette, simply re-signing Suárez on a short-term deal is the one outcome that doesn't stretch the imagination. And if the Mariners did that and got 30-plus homers out of him as a primary DH and fill-in at third and first, nobody would complain.