Eight MLB Players Receive Qualifying Offers as November 17 Deadline Approaches
Major League Baseball teams extended $23.15 million qualifying offers to eight players on Monday, launching a tight window for free-agent decisions ahead of a potential industry lockout. latimes.com reported that the group features New York Yankees closer David Bednar, Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, and Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena.
The qualifying offer system, established following the 2012 season, carries steep draft-compensation consequences for clubs that sign players rejecting the bids. Only 18 out of 157 previous qualifying offers have ever been accepted since the system’s inception, with the dollar figure calculated from the average of Major League Baseball’s 125 highest salaries.
Full List of Qualifying Offers and Free Agency Expansion
Beyond Bednar, Suzuki, and Arozarena, five other players received the one-year, $23.15 million tenders on Monday. The list includes Milwaukee first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers, Baltimore left-hander Trevor Rogers, Minnesota catcher Ryan Jeffers, Pittsburgh second baseman Brandon Lowe, and San Diego left-hander Adrian Morejón.
To be eligible for a qualifying offer, a player must have spent the entire previous season continuously with the same team since Opening Day and must never have received a qualifying offer previously. Players have until November 17 to accept or reject the terms. Meanwhile, approximately 28 additional players hit the open market as free agents, bringing the total to 183. Those players officially began negotiating with all clubs at 5 p.m. Eastern time on Monday.
Industry analysts expect Major League Baseball to impose a lockout when the current collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1. That looming deadline is projected to spur a frantic wave of early signings across the league.
Player Option Decisions and Contract Choices
Clubs and players made a series of crucial roster and contract choices alongside the qualifying offer window:
- Baltimore Orioles: Declined a $7.5 million option on first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who missed most of the year due to an April 8 left foot fracture. The Orioles also rejected a $3.5 million option on catcher Dietrich Enns with a $125,000 buyout.
- Arizona Diamondbacks: Starting pitcher Corbin Burnes chose not to opt out of the final four years of his six-year, $210 million contract. Right-hander Michael Soroka declined his $10 million mutual option for 2027, triggering a $1 million buyout.
- Toronto Blue Jays: Right-hander José Berríos elected not to opt out of the final two years of his seven-year, $131 million deal while recovering from May 20 surgeries. Toronto also declined an $8 million option on outfielder Myles Straw, issuing a $1.75 million buyout.
- Oakland Athletics: Right-hander Luis Severino exercised his $22 million player option for 2027, locking in the final year of his three-year, $67 million agreement.
- Detroit Tigers: Declined a $12 million option on reliever Kenley Jansen, who holds a $2 million buyout. Detroit did exercise a $10 million option on right-hander Drew Anderson and agreed to a one-year, $1.3 million contract with right-hander Jacob Waguespack.
Arbitration-Eligible Decisions and Declined Options
Several organizations retained control of key personnel by exercising club options on players who otherwise would have entered arbitration. Tampa Bay also activated Yandy Díaz’s $13 million option after the infielder reached 500 plate appearances and satisfied health requirements for 2027.
Other clubs opted to clear roster space. Milwaukee declined an $8.5 million mutual option on catcher Gary Sánchez and a $14 million option on right-hander Antonio Senzatela. Cleveland walked away from an $8 million mutual option for right-hander Shawn Armstrong, and St. Louis declined a $6 million option on right-hander Ryne Stanek.
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