While the Los Angeles Dodgers had four players officially become free agents the morning after the World Series concluded, none — as expected — were extended a qualifying offer. Hyun-Jin Ryu profiled as most likely of the group to receive one, but he was not eligible by virtue of the Dodgers extending the one-year pact last offseason.
There were 10 players across MLB that did receive a qualifying offer: Jose Abreu, Madison Bumgarner, Gerrit Cole, Josh Donaldson, Jake Odorizzi, Marcell Ozuna, Anthony Rendon, Will Smith, Stephen Strasburg and Zack Wheeler.
Players had until this past Thursday to accept to decline the one-year, $17.8 million deal. The value of the qualifying offer is determined by taking the average salary of the top 125 highest paid players from the year prior.
It was first introduced for the 2013 season, when it was valued at $13.3 million. That rose to $17.2 million by 2017, with the $1.4 million increase from the year prior representing the largest in its history. However, the 2020 salary marked a decrease for the first time in qualifying offer history.
Nevertheless, Abreu (Chicago White Sox) and Odorizzi (Minnesota Twins) wound up accepting it. Smith declined but has signed with the Atlanta Braves, leaving six qualifying offer free agents on the open market with compensation attached to them.
Among those, the Dodgers have been linked to Cole, Donaldson and Rendon. Signing either of the marquee free agents would require surrendering compensation.
By virtue of avoiding the luxury tax in 2019 and not being a team that receives revenue sharing, the Dodgers would lose their second-highest pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and $500,000 from their international signing bonus pool.
The White Sox, Houston Astros, L.A. Angels, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals are also in that boat.
Meanwhile, luxury-tax paying teams from this season — Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees — would forfeit their second- and fifth-highest draft picks, plus have $1 million deducted from their international money if they sign a player who declined the qualifying offer.
As for teams that receive revenue sharing (Arizona Diamondbacks, Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays) would only forfeit their third-highest draft pick.
The Dodgers have largely avoided signing a free agent after he rejected the qualifying offer. However, they did so prior to the 2019 season for A.J. Pollock. While L.A. lost a draft pick in order to add Pollock, they gained one when Yasmani Grandal rejected their qualifying offer and signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.
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