What Is the Qualifying Offer? Who Are Some Top Players That Have Received It This Off-Season?

This year’s qualifying offer has made it to the news. But before diving right in, it is important to know what the buzz is about. Quick fact, a one-year contract based on the average of the top 125 baseball salaries is the qualifying offer. For this off-season, it is a whopping number and 7 players in 2023 are eligible for it. 

As the off-season is abuzz with some spectacular names as free agents, compensation rules come into the picture. With that, it is key to note that free agents who accept the qualifying offer sign a one-year contract and return to their original team. Following that, compensation for draft selections is linked to free agents who decline the qualifying offer. Moreover, ahead of Monday’s deadline, November 6th, these highly sought-after free agents got qualifying offers. 

All About The Names In The Qualifying Offer List

This offseason MLB’s qualifying offer is a $20.325 million contract and @JeffPassan tweeted the names of the members in the list. Unsurprisingly, the Los Angeles Angels declared that Shohei Ohtani has been extended the qualifying offer. Apart from that, albeit the San Diego Padres plan on a payroll cut this offseason, they made Josh Hader and Blake Snell the qualifying offer, as per MLB.com. Alongside these, there are 4 more notable names.

Aaron Nola of the Philadelphia Phillies, who has the longest contract, earlier this year could not come to an agreement on an extension. According to the New York Post, Philadelphia made Nola the qualifying offer to guarantee them a compensatory draft pick in case they are unable to secure a new agreement. Another name in the list is is Cody Bellinger, son of Clay Bellinger, a well known former New York Yankee. According to ESPN, he received a qualifying offer this offseason and might be among the hottest players available in free agency. 

Matt Chapman’s batting line, in April was.205/.298/.361, yet the Toronto Blue Jays announced the news of the qualifying offer. The best infielder available as a free agent, he still has the ability to hit 20 home runs and plays excellent defense. Finally, in the list is Sonny Gray who is a free agent for the first time in his career. Gray has had a terrific season at Minnesota Twins and will earn votes for AL Cy Young award. That said, he could be one of the top picks for teams eyeing some right-handed magic. Keeping all the information aside, one question remains, what will they decide? 

Major League Baseball Rules For Qualifying Offers

The players must choose by November 14 at 4 p.m. ET whether to accept a one-year contract worth of the qualifying offer to rejoin their former teams. While there are speculations that Bellinger, Ohtani, Hader and Nola might decline their QO, it is uncertain as to how the events turn. Names such as J.D. Martinez, Rhys Hoskins, Teoscar Hernández and Jorge Soler were among those who did not receive their qualifying offers. Why? Well, that brings one to the eligibility criteria. 

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Players must have played their whole 2023 season for a single team and not have received a qualifying offer before in order to be eligible for the offer. Some acceptances and rejections of the offer might come as a surprise while some wont. One has to wait and watch. 

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