Some MLB veterans face an interesting decision to start free agency. Eight players received a qualifying offer before free agency officially opened Monday night. Each can accept a one-year, $23.15 million contract by Nov. 17 to stay put for the 2027 season.
If a player declines a qualifying offer and signs elsewhere, his team receives a compensatory draft pick. Only 18 of 157 players have accepted since 2012, but four accepted last year. The following players received a qualifying offer: Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers, New York Yankees reliever David Bednar, Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, San Diego Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers, and Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
Both outfielders seem particularly unlikely to take a qualifying offer in a relatively weak free-agent hitting market. The Athletic's Jim Bowden predicted Arozarena and Suzuki to receive five-year contracts worth $124 million and $120 million, respectively. A part-time player throughout his career, Bauers broke out to hit .266/.389/.484 with a career-high 26 home runs this season.
The 31-year-old could cash in with a multi-year deal after helping the Brewers win their first World Series in franchise history. Lowe may want to test the open market for the first time in his career after belting 35 home runs with an .824 OPS in 2026. If he accepts, the 32-year-old would be the highest-paid Pirates player.
Bowden predicted Jeffers would receive a two-year, $15.5 million contract, so the 29-year-old could be the top candidate to accept his qualifying offer. He's never exceeded 465 plate appearances in a season, but the catcher has batted .254/.342/.440 over the last four years. Rogers followed a dominant 2025 by posting a 4.03 ERA, but the southpaw worked a career-high 169.2 innings and posted a 2.90 ERA over his final 20 starts.
Turning 29 later this month, he's well positioned to receive a substantial multi-year deal. Even if he makes a lower average annual salary, Bednar may prefer a contract in line with the three-year, $51 million pact the New York Mets gave closer Devin Williams last offseason. Morejon may land a similar deal after posting a 2.58 ERA over the last three seasons as San Diego's elite setup man.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
