The Hot Stove is officially lit. Free agency opened Monday at 5 p.m. ET, and with it came the first big wave of offseason decisions: options picked up and declined, and eight players handed $23.15 million qualifying offers. For the champs, the biggest news was that the Brewers’ World Series MVP is staying put.
The Brewers Keep Their MVP
Milwaukee exercised William Contreras’ $14.5 million option, so the catcher who was named World Series MVP last week will be back with the Brewers. He is still arbitration-eligible. The Brewers also made a qualifying offer to Jake Bauers and declined their options on Gary Sánchez ($8.5 million mutual option) and Antonio Senzatela ($14 million).
The Eight Qualifying Offers
A qualifying offer is a one-year, $23.15 million deal. A player who turns it down and signs elsewhere costs his new team a draft pick. These eight have until Nov. 17 to decide:
- David Bednar, RHP, Yankees
- Seiya Suzuki, OF, Cubs
- Randy Arozarena, OF, Mariners
- Jake Bauers, 1B/OF, Brewers
- Trevor Rogers, LHP, Orioles
- Ryan Jeffers, C, Twins
- Brandon Lowe, 2B, Pirates
- Adrian Morejon, LHP, Padres
History says most of them will decline. Since the system started after the 2012 season, only 18 of 157 qualifying offers have been accepted, according to the AP.
Other Decisions Worth Knowing
- Rays: Tampa Bay exercised Taylor Walls’ $3.1 million option, and Yandy Díaz’s $13 million option vested.
- Astros: Houston exercised Isaac Paredes’ $13.35 million option, and Tatsuya Imai did not opt out. That keeps both at Daikin Park.
- Staying put: Corbin Burnes (Diamondbacks) and José Berríos (Blue Jays) also did not opt out.
- Picked up: The Athletics exercised Luis Severino’s $22 million option.
- Now free agents: Kenley Jansen (Tigers declined his $12 million option), Ryan Mountcastle (Orioles declined $7.5 million), and Cubs pitchers Clay Holmes, Hunter Harvey, Colin Rea and Caleb Thielbar.
With 183 free agents now on the market, teams are free to negotiate with anyone.
What’s Next
Awards week is Nov. 9-12, with Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young and MVP announced on back-to-back nights, and I will have each one covered. The qualifying offer deadline is Nov. 17. Then comes the big one: the collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected. If that happens, signings and trades of major league players stop until there is a new deal.
Featured photo: William Contreras of the Milwaukee Brewers, 2024 by Sewageboy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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