Major League teams issued qualifying offers worth $22.025 million to 13 free agents Thursday, sources told ESPN. Headlining the group are Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker and Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. Players have until Nov. 18 to accept or reject the one-year, $22.025 million offer.
Players reported to have been tendered the qualifying offer:
– Kyle Tucker, OF, Chicago Cubs
– Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies
– Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
– Framber Valdez, LHP, Houston Astros
– Dylan Cease, RHP, San Diego Padres
– Ranger Suárez, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies
– Edwin Díaz, RHP (closer), New York Mets
– Gleyber Torres, 2B, Detroit Tigers
– Brandon Woodruff, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
– Zac Gallen, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
– Shōta Imanaga, LHP, Chicago Cubs
– Michael King, RHP, San Diego Padres
– Trent Grisham, OF, New York Yankees
The qualifying offer is calculated by averaging the top 125 MLB salaries and allows a player’s previous team to receive draft-pick compensation if that player signs elsewhere. Teams that sign a QO-tagged free agent face draft-pick penalties: clubs that exceeded the competitive-balance-tax (CBT) threshold forfeit their second- and fifth-round picks in the amateur draft and $1 million in international bonus money; revenue-sharing recipients surrender their third-highest draft pick; other teams lose their second-highest pick.
Because the Brewers, Tigers and Diamondbacks are revenue-sharing recipients, they would receive compensation picks immediately after the first round if their players sign with new teams. The Cubs and Astros would get a pick after Competitive Balance Round B (roughly around the 75th overall pick) if Tucker, Imanaga or Valdez sign elsewhere. For the clubs that exceeded the CBT threshold, the compensation slot will fall after the fourth round (around pick No. 135).
Most top free agents typically decline the one-year QO and pursue multi-year deals, but any player who accepts would be signed for one season and would be ineligible for a qualifying offer the following offseason.
