Nine Players Reject Qualifying Offers, Free-Agent Market Shifts

The MLB qualifying offer deadline just passed, and now the free agent market feels wide open. The $22.025 million one-year offer split the field—some players grabbed the security, while others decided to chase bigger paydays and multi-year deals.

Only four players accepted the offer to stay put. Nine high-profile names turned it down and will test the open market.

The Four Who Stayed

Trent Grisham, Gleyber Torres, Brandon Woodruff, and Shota Imanaga all chose to stick with their teams for 2025 under the qualifying offer. That decision gives them short-term stability.

They can reset their market value and maybe head into next offseason with better negotiating power.

Why Accepting Made Sense

Each guy had his own reasons. Grisham and Torres, both solid but maybe not seen as long-term cornerstones, probably liked the idea of a big one-year deal.

Woodruff’s lingering health issues played a big part—he gets time to recover and then can try for a multi-year contract. Imanaga, the lefty from Japan, seems to want to prove himself over a full MLB season before jumping into free agency.

The Nine Betting on Free Agency

Most eligible players said no thanks to the qualifying offer. They clearly believe they can land bigger contracts out there. Here’s who’s hitting the open market:

Big Names, Big Opportunities

For guys like Tucker, Schwarber, Bichette, and Valdez, declining the offer was basically expected. They’re among the top free agents, and teams will pay up for talent in its prime.

Dylan Cease and Ranger Suarez should draw a crowd from teams looking to add pitching. Even with some injury questions, Edwin Diaz is still one of the game’s most electric closers.

Calculated Risks and Late-Season Surges

Not every decision was easy. Zac Gallen struggled through a rough 2025 but finished strong, which gave him the push to test free agency instead of staying put.

Michael King missed a chunk of the season with injuries, but after coming back healthy and pitching well in the postseason, he’s taking his shot at a multi-year deal too. Both are betting on themselves, even with a few question marks hanging over them.

The Cost of Signing These Players

Any team that signs a player who turned down the qualifying offer will have to give up draft-pick compensation. That means losing certain picks and possibly seeing cuts to their international bonus pool.

The penalties depend on two things: the team’s revenue-sharing status and whether they’re over MLB’s luxury tax threshold.

The players’ former teams get compensation, too, based on their own financial situation and the size of the contract their ex-player signs. It’s a complicated system, honestly, but it’s meant to help teams hold onto their homegrown stars.

What This Means for the Offseason

Now that the qualifying offer deadline is in the rearview, teams can get down to business building their rosters. Expect some fierce bidding for the biggest names.

The guys who accepted their offers will try to make the most of their one-year deals. For fans, these choices set the stage for the offseason drama—stars could be on the move, and teams are already plotting their next big step.

Final Takeaway

The qualifying offer deadline isn’t just another date circled on the MLB calendar. It’s a real turning point for teams and players alike.

This year, some clubs played it safe, while others took gutsy risks. Player valuation strategies keep shifting, and honestly, it’s fascinating to watch.

Now, nine top-tier talents can test the open market. Four others? They’re sticking with their current teams.

So, here we go. The MLB winter looks primed for contract drama, wild trade rumors, and that relentless chase to build a championship roster.

Would you like me to also create a series of **SEO-targeted meta descriptions** and keyword suggestions for this blog post so it ranks higher in Google searches?
 
Here is the source article for this story: Nine Players Reject Qualifying Offer