Just in case anyone there was any doubt that this year’s free-agent class may be the weakest in at least a decade, Major League Baseball teams made qualifying offers to just eight players by the Monday, Nov. 2 deadline – the second-fewest in a full-season since the system was implemented in 2012.
Here are the players offered a $23.15 million qualifying offer by the deadline, including their salaries last season:
- Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena; One-year, $15.65 million salary in 2026.
- Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki: Final year of 5-year, $85 million contract.
- Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers: One-year, $6.7 million salary in 2026.
- New York Yankees closer David Bednar: One-year. $9 million salary in 2026.
- Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe: Final year of 6-year, $24 million contract.
- Baltimore Orioles starter: Trevor Rogers: One-year, $6.2 million salary in 2026.
- San Diego Padres left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon: One-year, $3.9 million contract in 2026
- Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers: One-year, $2.7 million contract in 2026
While a record four players accepted the qualifying offer a year ago – Shota Imanaga, Trent Grisham Gleyber Torres and Brandon Woodruff – which tied the player to the team for one year, it’s quite possible no accepts the offer this year, which has occurred four times previously. Just 18 of 157 players have accepted a qualifying offer since
this system was implemented.
Free-agent starter Tarik Skubal was the biggest star not eligible for a qualifying offer by the Los Angeles Dodgers since he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers. He is also expected to be the only player who’ll earn more than $200 million in free agency. Skubal is expected to command the most money given to a free-agent pitcher, exceeding Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million deal.
Skubal headlines a group of premier free agents who were not eligible to receive a qualifying offer since they were either traded during the season or received a qualifying offer in the past. That list includes All-Stars Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta, Luis Arraez, Michael King, Nick Martinez, Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman Raisel Iglesias, Casey Mize.
The most intriguing qualifying offer decisions may be with Bauers and Morejon. Bauers, who hit 26 homers for the World Series champion Brewers, is coming off a one-year, $2.7 million contract; the qualifying offer will pay him twice as much as he’s earned in his entire career. Morejon is the game’s top setup man, who surely will want to be paid as a closer, but if he accepts the qualifying offer, he’ll be the highest-paid reliever in baseball for the 2027 season, eclipsing Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz’s $23 million salary.
Players must make a decision by Nov. 17 whether they plan to accept or reject qualifying offers.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Weak MLB free agent class produces just 8 qualifying offers from teams
