13 gamers had been tendered a qualifying provide (a one-year, $21.05 million deal for 2025) this offseason, however Reds right-hander Nick Martinez was the one one who accepted previous to Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Gamers who settle for qualifying presents are signed with their groups for the following season on the designated worth. Those that do not settle for stay free brokers, and if a brand new workforce indicators them, their previous workforce receives Draft choose compensation.
Because the system was carried out in 2012, solely 14 gamers to obtain a QO have accepted it.
This is a breakdown of this 12 months’s selections, in addition to the 2025 Draft compensation every membership will obtain for dropping a QO free agent to a different workforce.
ACCEPTED QUALIFYING OFFER
Nick Martinez, SP/RP (Reds)Martinez recorded a 3.10 ERA over 142 1/3 innings within the first season of a two-year, $26 million cope with the Reds, together with a formidable 2.42 ERA in 11 begins after becoming a member of Cincinnati’s injury-riddled rotation on a full-time foundation this previous August. The 34-year-old, who has notched a 3.31 ERA in three seasons since coming back from a stint in Japan, opted out of his contract to grow to be a free agent on the finish of the marketing campaign however will likely be again with the Reds in 2025.
DECLINED QUALIFYING OFFER
Willy Adames, SS (Brewers)Adames had an enormous stroll 12 months in 2024, producing profession highs in homers (32), RBIs (112) and steals (21) with a .794 OPS (118 OPS+) over 161 video games. The 29-year-old is tied with Corey Seager for first amongst shortstops with 112 house runs because the starting of 2021.
Brewers’ Draft compensation if Adames indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Aggressive Steadiness Spherical A (if he indicators for at the very least $50 million); choose after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B (if he indicators for lower than $50 million)
Pete Alonso, 1B (Mets)Alonso has been one among baseball’s prime energy hitters since his 2019 debut, rating second within the Majors behind Aaron Choose with 226 house runs in that point. The sturdy first baseman, who owns a lifetime .854 OPS, has by no means completed a full season (excluding 2020) with fewer than 34 dingers.
Mets’ Draft compensation if Alonso indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Alex Bregman, 3B (Astros)Bregman is about to achieve free company for the primary time after 9 seasons with the Astros, throughout which he helped the workforce win seven American League West titles, three pennants and two World Sequence championships. Though he has but to revisit his 2018-19 apex (72 HR, 157 OPS+, 16.8 WAR), the 30-year-old has remained one among MLB’s best third basemen lately. Bregman received off to a gradual begin in 2024, however he nonetheless completed with 26 homers, a .768 OPS (118 OPS+) and 4.1 WAR (per Baseball-Reference).
Astros’ Draft compensation if Bregman indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Corbin Burnes, SP (Orioles)Burnes lived as much as expectations after being traded from the Brewers to the Orioles within the offseason, incomes his fourth straight All-Star choice and ending with a 2.92 ERA and 181 strikeouts over 194 1/3 innings. The 2021 Nationwide League Cy Younger Award winner has posted a 2.88 ERA over the previous 5 seasons, rating third within the Majors with 816 2/3 innings in that span.
Orioles’ Draft compensation if Burnes indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Aggressive Steadiness Spherical A (if he indicators for at the very least $50 million); choose after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B (if he indicators for lower than $50 million)
Max Fried, SP (Braves)Fried doesn’t miss bats at an elite stage, however that hasn’t stopped him from recording one of the best ERA+ (151) amongst pitchers with at the very least 500 innings because the starting of 2020. The southpaw made 29 begins with a 3.25 ERA and 166 Okay’s over 174 1/3 innings in 2024, bouncing again from an injury-shortened 2023 season.
Braves’ Draft compensation if Fried indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Teoscar Hernández, OF (Dodgers)Hernández signed a one-year, $23.5 million cope with the Dodgers final offseason and went on to report a career-high 33 homers with an .840 OPS, up 99 factors from the .741 OPS he posted with the Mariners in 2023. The precise-handed slugger has recorded 180 house runs with a 122 OPS+ for the Blue Jays, Mariners and Dodgers because the begin of the 2018 marketing campaign.
Dodgers’ Draft compensation if Hernández indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Sean Manaea, SP (Mets)After pitching to a 4.73 ERA over 67 appearances (38 begins) for the Padres and Giants in 2022-23, Manaea rejuvenated his profession with the Mets in his age-32 marketing campaign. The left-hander tossed a career-high 181 2/3 innings and completed the common season with a 3.47 ERA and 184 strikeouts. As anticipated, he opted out of the ultimate 12 months on his two-year, $28 million cope with New York after the season.
Mets’ Draft compensation if Manaea indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Nick Pivetta, SP (Pink Sox)Pivetta, 31, posted a 4.14 ERA over 27 appearances (26 begins) for Boston in 2024, although his anticipated ERA was properly under that, at 3.59. His 28.9% strikeout charge ranked within the 88th percentile amongst qualifying pitchers, and his 6.1% stroll charge positioned him within the eightieth percentile. He made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2007, and he was traded to the Pink Sox in the course of the pandemic-shortened 2020 marketing campaign. Pivetta made two begins for Boston that season, and from 2021-24, he pitched to a 4.33 ERA (102 ERA+) over 129 outings (105 begins).
Pink Sox’s Draft compensation if Pivetta indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B
Anthony Santander, OF (Orioles)Santander erupted for a career-high 44 house runs with 102 RBIs and an .814 OPS (134 OPS+) over 155 video games in 2024. The slugger ranked third within the Majors in homers and have become the eighth switch-hitter in MLB historical past to belt 40-plus dingers in a single season.
Orioles’ Draft compensation if Santander indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Aggressive Steadiness Spherical A (if he indicators for at the very least $50 million); choose after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B (if he indicators for lower than $50 million)
Luis Severino, SP (Mets)Severino’s tenure with the Yankees ended on a bitter observe, with the right-hander recording a 6.65 ERA in 2023. Nonetheless, he discovered new life throughout city after signing a one-year, $13 million cope with the Mets in free company, staying wholesome and posting a 3.91 ERA over 182 innings — his highest complete since 2018.
Mets’ Draft compensation if Severino indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Juan Soto, OF (Yankees)Soto delivered one other standout 12 months in 2024, producing a career-high 41 homers with 109 RBIs, 129 walks, 128 runs scored and a .989 OPS following a commerce from the Padres to the Yankees. The disciplined slugger is on a Corridor of Fame path, having recorded 201 homers, 592 RBIs, 769 walks and a .953 OPS (160 OPS+) via his age-25 season. He’ll be the highest free agent on the board this offseason.
Yankees’ Draft compensation if Soto indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Spherical 4
Christian Walker (D-backs)A late-bloomer who has appeared in components of 10 huge league seasons — the previous eight with Arizona — Walker is about to achieve free company for the primary time on the age of 33. The precise-handed slugger has quietly grow to be one of many recreation’s finest first basemen, pairing a potent bat with elite glove work. Because the starting of 2022, Walker has recorded 95 homers and an .813 OPS (123 OPS+) whereas main his place with +38 Outs Above Common.
D-backs’ Draft compensation if Walker indicators elsewhere: Choose after the completion of Aggressive Steadiness Spherical A (if he indicators for at the very least $50 million); choose after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B (if he indicators for lower than $50 million)
NOTABLE PLAYERS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE QO
INELIGIBLE FOR QUALIFYING OFFER
Not each free agent can obtain a QO. Gamers who’ve beforehand acquired a QO are ineligible, which suggests the next free brokers weren’t eligible to obtain one:
Alex Cobb (Guardians), Michael Conforto (Giants), Patrick Corbin (Nationals), Nathan Eovaldi (Rangers), Yasmani Grandal (Pirates), Jason Heyward (Astros), Kenley Jansen (Pink Sox), Lance Lynn (Cardinals), Joc Pederson (D-backs), MartÃn Pérez (Padres), Marcell Ozuna (Braves), Anthony Rizzo (Yankees), Carlos Santana (Twins), Max Scherzer (Rangers), Will Smith (Royals), Blake Snell (Giants), Justin Turner (Mariners), Justin Verlander (Astros)
Gamers who weren’t repeatedly with a company, both within the Minors or Majors, from Opening Day till the top of the common season are additionally ineligible. Notable free brokers on this class who weren’t talked about above embrace:
Matthew Boyd (Guardians), Josh Bell (D-backs), Mark Canha (Giants), Paul DeJong (Royals), Carlos Estévez (Phillies), Jack Flaherty (Dodgers), Danny Jansen (Pink Sox), Jakob Junis (Reds), Yusei Kikuchi (Astros), Michael Lorenzen (Royals), Frankie Montas (Brewers), Tommy Pham (Royals), Amed Rosario (Reds), Tanner Scott (Padres), Jesse Winker (Mets)
Compensation for dropping gamers who reject their QO
If a workforce provides a qualifying provide to a participant who then indicators elsewhere, the membership that misplaced the participant is eligible for Draft choose compensation the next 12 months.
• Aggressive Steadiness Tax payors: If the workforce that loses the participant went over the CBT threshold, the compensation choose will likely be positioned after the fourth spherical has been accomplished. The worth of the participant’s contract does not matter on this case.
• Income-sharing recipients: If the workforce that loses the participant is a revenue-sharing recipient, primarily based on its revenues and market dimension, then the choice — if and provided that the misplaced participant indicators for at the very least $50 million — will likely be awarded a choose between the primary spherical and Aggressive Steadiness Spherical A of the MLB Draft. If the participant indicators for lower than $50 million, the compensation choose for these groups would come after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B, which follows the second spherical.
• All different groups: If the workforce that loses the participant doesn’t obtain income sharing and didn’t exceed the CBT wage threshold the earlier season, its compensatory choose will come after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B. The worth of the participant’s contract does not matter on this case.
Penalties for signing gamers who reject their QO
Any workforce that indicators a participant who has rejected a qualifying provide is topic to the lack of a number of Draft picks. Nonetheless, a workforce’s highest first-round choose is exempt from forfeiture. (Gamers who’re unsigned after the beginning of the MLB Draft within the 12 months that follows the rejection of their qualifying provide are not tied to Draft choose compensation and could be signed with out their new membership needing to forfeit a Draft choose.)
Three tiers of Draft choose forfeiture — primarily based on the monetary standing of the signing workforce — are in place to function a penalty for signing a participant who rejected a qualifying provide:
• Aggressive Steadiness Tax payors: A workforce that exceeded the CBT threshold within the previous season will lose its second- and fifth-highest picks within the following 12 months’s Draft, in addition to $1 million from its worldwide bonus pool for the upcoming signing interval. If such a workforce indicators a number of qualifying-offer free brokers, it’ll forfeit its third- and sixth-highest picks as properly.
• Income-sharing recipients: A workforce that receives revenue-sharing cash will lose its third-highest choice within the following 12 months’s Draft. If it indicators two such gamers, it’ll additionally forfeit its fourth-highest choose.
• All different groups: If a workforce doesn’t obtain income sharing and didn’t exceed the CBT wage threshold within the earlier season, it’ll lose its second-highest choice within the following 12 months’s Draft, in addition to $500,000 from its worldwide bonus pool for the upcoming signing interval. If one among these groups indicators two such gamers, it’ll additionally forfeit its third-highest choose.
These are classifications for every workforce that can decide the Draft picks they obtain (for a departing QO participant) or forfeit (for signing a QO participant).
Aggressive Steadiness Tax payors: Astros, Blue Jays, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Rangers, Yankees
Income-sharing recipients: Athletics, Brewers, D-backs, Guardians, Mariners, Marlins, Orioles, Pirates, Rays, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins
All different golf equipment: Angels, Cardinals, Giants, Nationals, Padres, Pink Sox, White Sox
