13 MLB players received the qualifying offer, which is essentially a one-year deal worth $22.05 million for the 2026 season. A majority of the 13 players will decline said offer (it's true — Kyle Tucker won't sign a one-year, $22.5 million deal), but a couple might accept it. For reference, only 14 players have accepted the qualifying offer since it was implemented over a decade ago.
Now, all MLB fans can do is wait and see how many, if any, of these 13 players will accept the qualifying offer, and where those who end up rejecting it will end up. Fortunately, MLB fans won't have to wait long to see the players' decisions regarding the qualifying offer.
Qualifying offer information and predictions
- The deadline for players to make qualifying offer decisions
- Pitchers who received the qualifying offer
- Position players who received the qualifying offer
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
The deadline for players to make qualifying offer decisions
These players have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 18 to make this decision. Again, it's more likely than not that most, if not all, of these players will reject the offer, but there are a couple of interesting cases to keep track of.
Those who reject the offer will have compensation attached to them, meaning if a new team signs them, that'd result in that team parting with at least one draft pick. In some cases, teams part with multiple picks and international bonus money. This all depends on where their 2025 payrolls wound up. Those who spent more money will face stiffer penalties.
With this in mind, let's go over the 13 players who received the qualifying offer and where they might end up signing.
Pitchers who received the qualifying offer
LHP Framber Valdez
Framber Valdez's 3.66 ERA was his highest mark in a full season, but he also made 31 starts and topped the 190-inning mark for the third time in four years. He's a lock to reject the qualifying offer, and with the Houston Astros strapped for cash, it feels likely that he'll end up elsewhere, especially after how his 2025 season ended.
Where Framber Valdez will sign: Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles enter the offseason full of desperation following a wildly disappointing 2025 campaign and in dire need of an ace to anchor their rotation. Few have been more consistent than this southpaw on the mound. His ability to generate ground balls will play well at Camden Yards, and Valdez should help get Baltimore back in the postseason conversation.
LHP Ranger Suarez
Ranger Suarez doesn't throw very hard and might not have the best stuff in the world, but he finds a way to get the job done more often than not. He's posted a 3.59 ERA over the last four seasons while averaging 26 starts per year, and had a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts and 157.1 innings of work in 2025 for the Philadelphia Phillies. Suarez is a lock to reject the qualifying offer, and with the Phillies needing to prioritize offense, there's a good chance he'll end up departing.
Where Ranger Suarez will sign: San Francisco Giants
A team like the San Francisco Giants could make sense if Suarez does, indeed, depart. San Francisco was a .500 team in 2025, and making an addition like this could be what gets them back to the postseason. The Giants need help in their rotation behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, and Suarez, as he's proven in Philadelphia, is an outstanding No. 3 starter.
RHP Dylan Cease
2025 was a down year for Dylan Cease as he posted a 4.55 ERA, but his 3.56 FIP suggests he got quite unlucky, and the right-hander was still incredibly valuable for the San Diego Padres. He completed his fifth straight season of at least 32 starts, 165 innings pitched and 210 strikeouts. It's hard to find starters who offer more consistency than that, and in these five years, Cease has been a top-four finisher in the Cy Young balloting twice. He's going to reject the qualifying offer and cash in on the open market.
Where Dylan Cease will sign: Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays came oh so close to winning the World Series, but failed to secure the elusive 27th out, and now have Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer hitting free agency. The Jays could use a rotation addition, even with Shane Bieber accepting his player option, and Cease would be a strong addition.
RHP Edwin Diaz
It's rare for a reliever to receive the qualifying offer, but Edwin Diaz being arguably the best bullpen arm in the game this past season made him more than deserving of the offer being extended his way. Considering how dominant he's been for much of his New York Mets tenure, it's a given that he's going to reject the offer and test free agency as well.
Where Edwin Diaz will sign: New York Mets
It's hard enough for a 32-year-old reliever to receive a hefty, long-term deal. It's even harder for a 32-year-old reliever to receive much interest on the open market when he has compensation attached. The list of teams that'll even show interest in Diaz is likely short, and given the Mets' need to re-sign Diaz and the fact that they wouldn't have to give up any additional compensation to do it, it's hard to envision him leaving Queens.
RHP Brandon Woodruff
When healthy, Brandon Woodruff is one of the best pitchers in the National League, but he's combined to make just 23 starts in the last three years, 12 of which came in 2025. He hasn't thrown more than 67 innings since 2022. Given his lack of durability, it'll be interesting to see if he's willing to accept the qualifying offer and bet on himself having a healthier year in 2026, or try to lock in a multi-year deal before potentially risking another injury.
Where Brandon Woodruff will sign: Milwaukee Brewers
I think Woodruff will accept the qualifying offer and return to the Milwaukee Brewers for another season. Woodruff clearly enjoys playing in Milwaukee, staying put on the one-year pact and pitching well would allow him to really cash in next winter, and it should also be pointed out that the Brewers already owe Woodruff $10 million since the right-hander turned down his end of a mutual option. A one-year deal worth essentially $32 million when factoring in the additional $10 million with the ability to earn much more next season to pitch on a contending team he's comfortable with sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
RHP Zac Gallen
Zac Gallen did not have a good year in 2025, as his 4.83 ERA would indicate, but one subpar year doesn't take away from the fact that from 2022 through 2024, he was one of the best pitchers in the National League. He had two top-five finishes in the NL Cy Young balloting in those years for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His rough 2025 will impact how much he'll earn, but he should be able to do far better than the qualifying offer.
Where Zac Gallen will sign: Arizona Diamondbacks
Pitching is what held the Diamondbacks back in 2025, so how can they really let Gallen walk? If they're willing to spend more money on a guy like Cease or Valdez, letting him walk is justified, but Gallen is probably the most realistic impact starter they can sign.
LHP Shota Imanaga
It was a bit surprising that the Chicago Cubs declined what was essentially a three-year, $57 million deal for Shota Imanaga, allowing the southpaw to hit the open market after deciding to reject a $15 million player option. They did, however, slap the qualifying offer on him, which he could very well accept following a brutal end to his 2025 campaign.
Where Shota Imanaga will sign: Detroit Tigers
There are glaring red flags in his game, most obviously the fact that he allowed 31 home runs in just 25 starts this past season (20 of which came in 13 second-half starts). Imanaga joining a division without much power-hitting, like the AL Central, and a team with a spacious outfield, like the Detroit Tigers, makes a lot of sense. Whether Tarik Skubal stays put or not remains to be seen, but the Tigers will need to add a starter regardless. Imanaga won't break the bank and could be a nice fit in a more pitcher-friendly park.
RHP Michael King
Despite only making 15 starts this season, the Padres extended Michael King the qualifying offer, and it isn't hard to see why. He had a 3.44 ERA in those starts, and had a sub-3.00 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) in 2024. When healthy, he's proven he's one of the best starters in the National League. He probably won't make as much money as his teammate, Cease, but rejecting the qualifying offer is likely.
Where Michael King will sign: San Diego Padres
As for where he'll sign, the Padres need somebody in their rotation. Yu Darvish is out for the year, and both King and Cease are free agents, meaning that the Padres' rotation consists of Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and a whole bunch of question marks. I get that money is an issue in San Diego, but A.J. Preller ought to find a way to get King aboard. He probably won't cost nine figures and can give the Padres ace production when healthy.
Position players who received the qualifying offer
Kyle Schwarber
At 32 years of age, Kyle Schwarber had a career year for the Phillies, setting career highs with 56 home runs and 132 RBI. He was an All-Star and is likely to finish as the NL MVP runner-up despite being almost exclusively a DH. It might not always be wise for a team to give a lucrative long-term deal to an aging DH, but Schwarber is a lock to get a deal with more term and dollars than what the qualifying offer provides.
Where Kyle Schwarber will sign: Philadelphia Phillies
Can the Phillies really let him go? Not really. Sure, Schwarber hasn't quite lived up to his end of the bargain the last two postseasons, but how can the Phillies realistically expect to score enough postseason runs with Schwarber in another uniform? Schwarber has said how much he loves Philadelphia, and I expect the Phillies to do whatever it takes to keep him around, even if his production declines a couple of years into what'll certainly be a longer-term deal than Phillies fans might want.
Gleyber Torres
It was shocking that the Tigers extended Gleyber Torres the qualifying offer because of how his 2025 season finished (.659 second-half OPS), but it does make some sense because he was banged up in the second half. Torres was an All-Star in the first half, and taking a one-year gamble on him potentially maintaining that form during a fully healthy year makes a lot of sense.
Where Gleyber Torres will sign: Detroit Tigers
Torres has to decide whether he wants to test the open market or if he wants to bet on himself and cash in next winter after putting up a full, productive season. It could make some sense for him to reject the qualifying offer as he'd be the best second baseman on the market, but having compensation attached figures to hinder his market a ton, as a non-elite player. I expect him to accept the qualifying offer, take the high AAV for 2026, and look to cash in next winter.
Trent Grisham
Trent Grisham receiving the qualifying offer might've sounded like an insane proposition ahead of the 2025 campaign, but after hitting 34 home runs as the New York Yankees' primary lead-off hitter, it's far from shocking that the Yankees extended it his way. Grisham has a tricky decision to make.
Where Trent Grisham will sign: New York Yankees
The year he had is deserving of a deal far more expensive than the qualifying offer, but would a team out there be willing to give Grisham a lucrative long-term deal following a random breakout year? Plus, while Grisham excelled with the bat during the regular season, his production disappeared in the postseason and his defense in center field declined exponentially. Grisham would be wise to accept the Yankees' qualifying offer, prove that 2025 was not a fluke with the bat, and prove that 2025 was not a fluke with the glove as well for the formerly elite defender. If he's able to check those boxes, a truly massive deal will be waiting for him in the 2026 offseason without the qualifying offer holding him back.
Bo Bichette
Speaking of flukes, Bo Bichette proved that his disastrous, injury-riddled 2024 campaign was a fluke by slashing .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI for the Blue Jays. Bichette was, once again, a hit machine for the Jays this season, and despite playing at well below 100 percent, he swung the bat well in the World Series. There's a good chance he's going to be the highest-paid infielder in this year's free agency class.
Where Bo Bichette will sign: Toronto Blue Jays
Many assumed Bichette did not want to return to Toronto, but all the infielder said throughout this season is that he'd love to finish his career alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the Blue Jays. If the Jays want to get back to the World Series, they ought to re-sign their second or third-best hitter in Bichette, even with his defensive concerns.
Kyle Tucker
Kyle Tucker is, by all accounts, the No. 1 free agent available. He might not make Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani money, but he's going to get at least $300 million, which makes sense for one of the game's best players. Given that, he obviously isn't going to accept the qualifying offer. With rumors suggesting that the Cubs won't take bringing him back seriously, though, it's anyone's best guess as to where he'll end up.
Where Kyle Tucker will sign: Los Angeles Dodgers
All of the big-market teams will presumably show interest in Tucker, but is there any reason to believe he won't end up in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform? Sure, the two-time defending champions don't need him, but left field was a weakness for them in 2025, and they have a lot of money coming off their books. Perhaps a different big market team will show more desperation than the Dodgers, but assuming Los Angeles is willing to once again have the game's largest payroll by far, Tucker would be a perfect fit with the star-studded Dodgers.