Fourteen players were issued qualifying offers before today’s 4pm CT point in time, creating the most important slate of offers extended since twenty players received the QO throughout the 2015-16 offseason. Despite the massive variety, however, some notable (and surprising) names weren’t issued the annual, $18.4MM contract by their groups, and can currently enter delegacy with none draft decide compensation hooked up to their services.
We already touched on Clayton Kershaw’s scenario with the Dodgers, and currently let’s examine the 3 alternative free agents (all pitchers) UN agency were seen as attainable or maybe probable candidates to receive the QO…
Jon Gray, Rockies
Perhaps the foremost curious non-decision of the day came from Denver, because the range of mountains passed on giving grey a qualifying supply despite their clear interest in holding the right-hander. The Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders reports that grey “likely would have accepted” a qualifying supply, that seemingly factored into the team’s decision-making method. It feels like the range of mountains merely weren’t willing to pay grey $18.4MM over one year, although Colorado appeared comfy within the vary of a $13MM average annual price, as per their recent extension supply of a three-year deal price around $35-$40MM.
It appears entirely attainable that grey may notice over 3 years and $40MM on the open market, particularly with none QO compensation concerned. whereas the range of mountains and grey could nevertheless estimate a brand new contract, the Rox square measure currently within the position of losing grey for nothing. this may be associate degree particularly powerful blow for the club considering that they control onto grey at the trade point in time out of the need to sign him to a long extension.
Carlos Rodon, White Sox
Some late-season shoulder issues resulted in an exceedingly trip to the burned list and so a reduced work for the southpaw, golf shot a touch of a bitter finish to associate degree otherwise tremendous year. However, the White Sox declined to issue Rodon a qualifying supply, and will currently be parting ways in which with Rodon entirely — each The Athletic’s James Fegan and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale indicated that the Sox weren’t getting to build an attempt to bring Rodon back for one more year on the side.
With this in mind, it appears clear that the White Sox didn’t wish to run the chance of Rodon acceptive the QO, that sounded like a definite risk given his late-season shoulder woes, to not mention his prolonged past injury history. It may be that the Sox already think about Rodon as found cash, considering they took a $3MM flier on him last winter and he delivered 132 2/3 innings of two.37 ERA ball. The team may additionally have any issues regarding his long health. As Fegan notes, Chicago may use some style of beginning depth this offseason, however it’s like the White Sox feel they will notice that rotation facilitate at a less expensive worth than Rodon at $18.4MM.
Anthony DeSclafani, Giants
One of many pitchers UN agency have revived their careers when coming back to port of entry, DeSclafani rebounded from a rough 2020 season with the Reds to post a three.17 ERA over 167 2/3 frames in an exceedingly Giants uniform. With some less-than-stellar Statcast numbers, however, the Giants might not are inclined to own DeSclafani back for $18.4MM, tho’ the team will have styles on re-signing him if attainable.
There was an honest likelihood DeSclafani would have accepted the Giants’ QO, even as Kevin Gausman did a season past. Since the Giants additionally issued a qualifying supply to Brandon Belt that would be accepted, the club was in all probability cautious of committing $36.8MM to only 2 players for his or her 2022 payroll, even though port of entry has quite an little bit of money area to maneuver.
