Eight Major League Baseball free agents were extended a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer on Monday, setting a record for the qualifying offer amount. If declined, their former teams could receive draft-pick compensation.
The group includes outfielders Randy Arozarena (Mariners) and Seiya Suzuki (Cubs), pitchers Adrián Morejón (Padres), Trevor Rogers (Orioles), and David Bednar (Yankees), catcher Ryan Jeffers (Twins), first baseman Jake Bauers (Brewers), and second baseman Brandon Lowe (Pirates). This is one of the smallest groups of qualifying offers in recent years, with only six offers made in 2020 and 13 last offseason.
The qualifying offer is calculated as the average of the top 125 salaries and for the 2026-27 offseason reaches a record $23.15 million. Players have until 4 p.m. ET on November 17 to accept or reject. Accepting means playing the 2027 season at that salary for their 2026 team; rejecting makes them free agents with draft-pick compensation attached, affecting both the losing and signing teams' draft positions based on luxury tax and revenue-sharing status.
Historical data shows that from 2012 to 2025, 157 qualifying offers were made and only 18 were accepted, including a record four last year. Most decisions are straightforward for premium or less-coveted free agents, but the middle ground creates interesting choices, especially with ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations that could introduce a salary cap and contract restrictions.
Brief outlook on each player: Morejón, a top reliever with a four-pitch arsenal, likely to reject; Rogers, who rebounded in 2025, likely to reject; Arozarena, coming off a sixth straight 20-20 season, likely to reject; Suzuki, with career-high WAR, likely to reject; Jeffers, limited by injury but strong rate stats, likely to reject; Bauers, NLCS MVP and World Series champion, may consider accepting due to career earnings; Lowe, career-high WAR and power, probably rejects; Bednar, elite closer, likely to reject.
