Monday, Nov. 6, was the first important deadline on the 2023-24 MLB offseason calendar. It was the deadline for teams to make their eligible free agents the qualifying offer. Specifically, the deadline was 5 p.m. ET. The qualifying offer is a one-year contract set the average of the top 125 salaries in baseball. This offseason that's $20.325 million.
Free agents who accept the qualifying offer return to their team on that one-year, $20.325 million contract. Free agents who reject the qualifying offer are tied to draft pick compensation. To be eligible for the qualifying offer, players must have spent the entire 2023 season with one team, and have not received the qualifying offer previously.
Here is everything you need to know about the qualifying offer and the compensation rules and here are our top 50 free agents. Here now are the seven free agents who received the qualifying offer prior to Monday's deadline. They have until 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 14 to accept or reject.
SP/DH Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
To no surprise, the Angels announced they have extended Ohtani the qualifying offer, and it will be no surprise when we rejects it on Nov. 14. Even after elbow surgery, Ohtani is poised to sign the largest contract in baseball history this offseason. The Angels came very close to the $233 million competitive balance tax threshold this year and we won't know whether they will receive a compensation pick before the third round (stayed under CBT threshold) or after the fourth round (went over CBT threshold) until MLB officially calculates CBT payrolls in December.
OF Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs
Last offseason Bellinger was coming off two terrible seasons and was non-tendered. This offseason he received a qualifying offer, per ESPN, and will be one of the most sought after players in free agency. Like Ohtani, Bellinger will decline the qualifying offer and sign a nine-figure contract, possibly even to return to the Cubs. Because they neither received revenue sharing nor paid CBT in 2023, the Cubs will receive a compensation pick before the third round should Bellinger sign elsewhere.
LHP Josh Hader and LHP Blake Snell, San Diego Padres
Although the Padres are expected to cut payroll this offseason, they went ahead and made Hader and Snell the qualifying offer, according to MLB.com. Both are expected to reject it. Hader could sign a contract on par with Edwin Díaz's reliever record five-year, $102 million deal. Snell is the favorite to be named the NL Cy Young winner. He has a nine-figure payday awaiting him this offseason. San Diego exceeded the CBT threshold this year and will receive a compensation pick after the fourth round should Hader and/or Snell sign elsewhere.
RHP Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies and Nola, their longest-tenured player, were unable to agree to a contract extension earlier this year. They could still work out a contract, that's not off the table, though the New York Post reports Philadelphia did make Nola the qualifying offer just to ensure they receive a compensation draft pick if they're unable to get a new deal in place. The Phillies went over the CBT threshold this season and will receive a compensation pick after the fourth round in the event Nola signs elsewhere.
RHP Sonny Gray, Minnesota Twins
For the first time in his career, Gray is a free agent, and the Twins did make him the qualifying offer, the team announced. Gray turns 34 later this week and he just wrapped up a terrific season that will earn him AL Cy Young votes. Because they receive revenue sharing, the compensation pick Minnesota receives for Gray is tied to the size of his contract. If it's less than $50 million, they get a pick before the third round. If it's $50 million or more, they get a pick after the first round.
3B Matt Chapman, Toronto Blue Jays
Despite a .205/.298/.361 batting line after April, the Blue Jays announced they have made Chapman the qualifying offer. He's so good defensively and still has 20-homer pop, and is the best infielder on the free agent market. Chapman is unlikely to accept the qualifying offer despite that sluggish performance at the plate. Toronto was over the CBT threshold this year and will receive a compensation draft pick after the fourth round for Chapman.
Among the notable players to not receive the qualifying offer are 1B Rhys Hoskins (Phillies), RHP Mike Clevinger (Chicago White Sox), OF Teoscar Hernández (Seattle Mariners), LHP Clayton Kershaw and DH J.D. Martinez (Los Angeles Dodgers), and OF Jorge Soler (Miami Marlins). Kershaw recently underwent major shoulder surgery.
LHP Jordan Montgomery (Texas Rangers) was not eligible to receive the qualifying offer because he was traded at midseason. RHP Marcus Stroman (Cubs) and LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (Detroit Tigers) were not eligible because they had received the qualifying offer earlier in the careers.
