Milwaukee Brewers breakout star Jake Bauers, New York Yankees closer David Bednar and San Diego Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon were among eight players tendered a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer prior to Monday’s deadline.
Players who accept the qualifying offer are signed for 2027 at that amount. Players who decline the offer will be free agents and if they sign with a new club, their former team will receive draft pick compensation. The deadline is Nov. 17.
Also receiving qualifying offers Monday were outfielders Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners, Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs, second baseman Brandon Lowe of the Pittsburgh Pirates, catcher Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins and left-hander Trevor Rogers of the Baltimore Orioles.
According to MLB.com, just 18 players have accepted a qualifying offer since the system began in 2012.
–Bauers, 31, was a career journeyman before breaking out for the World Series-champion Brewers with career highs of a .266 batting average, 26 homers and 86 RBIs. The first baseman/outfielder was named National League Championship Series MVP when Milwaukee swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games.
–Bednar, 32, saved 35 games and went 7-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 64 relief appearances for the Yankees.
–Morejon, 27, is considered one of the top set-up men in the majors and went 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA and 107 strikeouts over 86 innings in 76 appearances.
–Arozarena, 31, batted .281 with 26 homers, 79 RBI and 26 steals while making the American League All-Star team for the second straight season and third time overall.
–Suzuki, 32, hit .270 with 26 homers and 86 RBIs in 2026 and has four straight 20-homer campaigns.
–Lowe, 32, batted .260 with 35 homers and 96 RBIs in his first season with Pittsburgh and now has three 30-homer campaigns on his ledger.
–Jeffers, 29, hit .256 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs but threw out just seven of 66 base stealers.
–Rogers, who turns 29 on Nov. 13, went 10-11 with a 4.03 ERA in 30 starts, striking out 157 in 169 2/3 innings.
Among the players who didn’t receive a qualifying offer were second baseman Jazz Chisholm of the New York Yankees, shortstop J.P. Crawford of the Seattle Mariners, first baseman Ty France of the San Diego Padres, outfielder Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs, left-hander Matthew Boyd of the Cubs and right-handers Brady Singer of the Cincinnati Reds and Michael Soroka of the Arizona Diamondbacks.