Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was the only one of the fourteen players tagged with the one-year, $18.4MM qualifying offer this offseason to accept the deal, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). That means players like Justin Verlander, Freddie Freeman and Robbie Ray have all declined the offers, as had been anticipated.
Verlander was the only one of the aforementioned trio who ever looked like a realistic possibility to accept the QO, as he’s coming off a season lost to Tommy John surgery recovery and turns 39 years old in February. Astros owner Jim Crane told reporters last month that Verlander was looking for a contract “of some length,” though. He and his representatives found that multi-year pact on the open market, as Verlander quickly re-signed with Houston on a two-year guarantee with an opt-out possibility after 2022.
Freeman and Ray, meanwhile, made the very easy call to turn the QO. They’re among the top handful of players in this year’s class, with each likely to land a five or six-year deal that pushes well north of $100MM. There was no incentive for either player to entertain the possibility of taking a QO, since declining has no impact on their ability to continue to negotiate a longer-term arrangement with their incumbent clubs, as Verlander did with the Astros.
Here’s a full rundown of the players who rejected the qualifying offer (all other decisions had been previously reported):
- Nick Castellanos, Reds
- Michael Conforto, Mets
- Carlos Correa, Astros
- Freddie Freeman, Braves
- Raisel Iglesias, Angels
- Robbie Ray, Blue Jays
- Eduardo Rodríguez, Red Sox (later signed with Tigers)
- Corey Seager, Dodgers
- Marcus Semien, Blue Jays
- Trevor Story, Rockies
- Noah Syndergaard, Mets (later signed with Angels)
- Chris Taylor, Dodgers
- Justin Verlander, Astros (to re-sign with Astros)
I had a feeling that Belt was going to be the lone player to accept the QO. I’m shocked that Syndergaard got what he got but then again, it’s the Angels and they’re not known for making smart free agent signings.
He had multiple offers for more money from other teams
Whenever a FA you like doesn’t sign with your team, there are two paths you can go down. In the case of Syndergaard, they are:
“Angels bad” –> no depression
“Aw man I wanted my team to sign him” –> depression
If Correa doesn’t sign with the Tigers, I can guarantee their fans will all be saying how relieved they are, citing his injury concerns and the fact that he doesn’t hit 40 homers a year despite the fact that they’ve been acting as if it’s a done deal for a month just because of AJ Hinch. Irrational fans do all they can to go the no depression route
The Angels are indeed bad.
Thanks for proving my point, you uneducated elbow-lickin, trash-sniffin, anime-watching dork
Its people outside Detroit saying its a done deal with Correa. Detroit Fans do not want another Miggy contract holding the team back and guaranteeing a future rebuild.
my expectations for the angels are always so low. you can never get truly disappointed that way.
It’s impossible to lick your own elbow.
That is a fact
It didnt say who’s elbow.
Precisely
I actually kind of agree with Fletcher. There’s a logic to why fans do what he says though. Depression kills people every day. Believing another team sucks doesn’t.
Thor might be a big risk for one year but it’s not a big risk in the sense it can’t hurt the Angels for longer than that. In other words it’s a risk the Angels can work around after next season. It can only hurt the Angels if you consider 2022 to be their best shot at winning it all.
I would call any 1-year contract low risk because the worst case scenario is they are throwing away one season. 29 teams throw away the season every year. Thor could also beast out and be the reason they win it all next season.
1-year contracts are good for teams. Even if it’s $21M all it can do is prevent the Angels from being Champs next year alone. Did anyone think they were going to be anyway? I didn’t. So how does it hurt them? They are taking a chance. Every contract has risk and this contract only risks next season for the Angels. Serious potential for very high reward on top of that. I like the move. It’s only bad is Thor fails. Tommy John surgery has come a long way. How many pitchers have we seen actually get BETTER after TJ? Why wouldn’t Thor be one of those?
Braves like 1 year deals. If Verlander pitched well he would get a better contract next year.
This one year deal would expensive as they would loose a draft pick; and they couldn’t get anything back draft wise.
I think Verlander is a pipe dream for the Braves. the $20 million etc. could be split up to re-sign Rosario and maybe a middle level – back end level starter.
Imstrange. No he had one offer approaching 25 mill n multiple offers around the 21 he got from the angels. Reports are he declined both Sox and jays offfer.
Only $21 mil for someone with ace level upside? You realize if he was coming off a full season he’d easily get over $100 mil? This deal has almost zero risk and tons of upside. So I’m not sure what you’re talking about.
@rols
You realize he is not coming off a full season, yet don’t realize therein lies the risk. That no team offered that $100 mil contract indicates they see the risk you fail to see. It could very well work out, but there is a ton of risk.
No such thing as a bad 1 year deal. If he pitches well and they’re in it, good. If they’re not in it, they can trade him for prospects at the deadline. If he gets injured or stinks, there’s no commitment beyond this season.
Maybe this is why you’re also a grade 1 teacher.
Justin Verlander to the Mets or Yankees
Verlander will want a chance to win the World Series. The Yankees and Mets have no chance. Both lack the necessary pitching and can’t add enough over 1 winter. The Yankees aren’t built for the Postseason and Verlander understands that.
According to MLBTR earlier Braves have made some offers.
Saying the Yankees have no chance in the postseason has to one of the dumbest things ever said on here. Any team that makes the playoffs has just as equal of chance of winning as any of the other teams. The jays could have easily won last year and didn’t even make the playoffs. Won more games than the World Series champ.
A wildcard team does not have the same chance. They are at a disadvantage from a pitching standpoint.
Verlander to the Giants…..they need starters and they HAVE the funds
Giants be better off going after Jon Gray; and other mid pack starter than taking a gamble on Verlander. Would probably cost about the same per year but give a better chance with 2 starters than 1 gamble starter
They’re not going to give up draft compensation, no way.
Wouldn’t the Mets have to give up a first round pick? They have 2 this year
The Mets would have to give up their second pick(#14 overall).Their first pick would be #11 ,for not signing last years first pick(#10)
The Mets are more then a pitcher away from being a threat. Think rebuilding the farm should be a higher priority.
Verlander is seeing what pitchers in the same health issues are getting, it makes sense.
Kind of surprised the Braves went with a QO and not sign Freeman. If he doesn’t resign with the Braves I will be surprised.
Both sides will spar for a week or two before a deal is announced. Question is will it be for 5 or 6 years?
Compromise for six seasons but a tad lower AAV to satisfy both sides. I don’t see Freeman having a divorce from the Braves. 6/165 seems right.
I have said this all a long and still believe that the Dodgers step in and sign Freeman; he is a Southern California boy still lives there.
In the Dodger’s mind how to do you beat the Braves in the post season? Win the offseason take Freeman way and make the Braves fill the gap. A few world series appearances would certainly off set the over pay of $10-$15 million a year that Freeman may get with him.
QQ is part of business; no guarantee that Freeman comes back. Were already seeing that he is no Chipper Jones where Jones basically signed for what Braves could pay. If Braves loose Freeman than they get a draft pick and that pick could be worth a lot.
What we forget as fans this is business; got to make a team and it’s bigger than just Freeman. Need make sure that the contract doesn’t hold a team down like Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera contracts did. It may actually be easier for both sides with the World Series win for a deal not to be made. Freeman can now chase money and Braves don’t have to spend crazy to try and keep him as they have the world series win, and a window open with other younger players and could be a desired destination by other free agents.
The fans that cry to sign him will be the same ones that cry when there’s no money to upgrade the team at the deadline.
Thought Belt, Iglesias & Thor would accept he QO. 1 for 3.
Verlander homecoming to Detroit. Can’t see him going anywhere else.
Did you read the part about a contender and east coast?
Is Michigan not considered east coast?
Look on a map. When your 600 miles away I’d say not.
Doesn’t matter. The whole state is coast.
You should stop smoking that stuff.
I grew up in NY and we considered Michigan as Mid-West?
Verlander I think will chase a world series win and the Tigers aren’t that close to that. In Justin’s mind this isn’t the last contract he will sign. Been rumored that he wanted to pitch till 45.
Also Detroit can’t give up a lot of draft picks with they sign him and other elite player.
He just signed with the Tigers.
*Astros
Wrong he went back to the Astros
*Astros
Time for Arte Moreno to go for it and quit being the Dodgers short bus brother.I want 100 million more in payroll this yr . Next yr it will come down 25 million when Upton departs.Sign Ray 4/80,Brown and blue eyed phenomena 3/90,Story 5/100 and rebuild the BULLPEN with hard throwing big scary dudes Ie..Rays college basketball team in the pen!If I was a 70 something billionaire and my team had Ohtani & New Gen GOAT.I compete dollar for dollar with the Dodgers!Right?
Well everyone was wrong Verlander back to the Astros
I was correct. I’d like a parade.
I was correct , as well. Yay me!
Why would Belt accept the QO? Fear that the Giants wouldn’t take him back?
Loose and lose be whoopin y’all ass I see
Mets should go all in and sign Freeman away from the Braves.
That made me laugh
They’re all going to sign elsewhere because their teams disrespected them by extending them qualifying offers.
Here is a contingency plan for if the Braves cannot outbid the other teams for Freddy’s services.
The Braves payroll is already at 140M, so spreading 30+M around multiple players instead of only 1, sometimes is a blessing in disguise. There are rumors that the Oakland Athletics are planning to cut their payroll, so we can try to entice them to get 2 players:
Atlanta Braves sends
——————–
Player (position) – 2022 Projected Salary – Free Agent Year
Cristian Pache (CF) – 580K – 2027+
Kyle Muller (LP) – 580K – 2027+
Kyle Wright (RP) – 580K – 2027
+ Another lesser minor leaguer (Jesse Franklin 1B)
Oakland Athletics sends
————————
Matt Olson (1B) – 12M – 2024
Chris Bassitt (RP) – 9M – 2023
Atlanta Braves Sign
——————–
Jorge Soler (RF/DH) – 12M – 3 Years
Eddy Rosario (LF) – 8M – 2 Years
Arbitration
—————-
Adam Duval (CF) – 9M – 1 Year
This way we have one of the top rotations in MLB and nearly all the position players that helped the team win the WS, again in the lineup.
I hate to even entertain the possibility of Freeman leaving….BUT, if it happens, Atlanta-born Matt Olson should be the first trade target. Maybe with a SP like Bassitt, Montas, or Manaea included. The Braves have the prospects. That said….re-sign Freddie!!!