In previous winters, MLB players declining a qualifying offer was essentially a formality. Since teams only extend those offers to good players, the overwhelming majority of those players decline the qualifying offer to seek a mega-contract on the market.
But that’s changed in 2025. A record four players — including Chicago Cubs ace Shota Imanaga and New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham — accepted their qualifying offer Tuesday.
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Because of that, Imanaga, Grisham, Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres and Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff will all return to their previous MLB franchises on one-year, $22.025 million contracts.
All four players faced very different realities with free agency on the horizon. Torres and Grisham are veteran players coming off career seasons. They may have been concerned teams would approach them with skepticism on the market, not wanting to commit multiple years and big money toward players who could decline next season.
Imanaga and Woodruff were both coming off injury-riddled years. While both players pitched well, Imanaga struggled mightily with home runs in his second season in the majors. Woodruff failed to regain his fastball velocity after returning from a serious shoulder injury.
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While all four had significant questions, it’s possible some of them could have still signed multi-year contracts worth more than $22.025 million in total. Instead of testing the market to see if that was the case, all four players opted to stick with their old clubs.
A total of 13 qualifying offers were extended to MLB free agents following the 2025 season. Grisham, Imanaga, Torres and Woodruff all accepted those offers.
The following nine players opted to reject the qualifying offer and hit the market:
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Kyle Schwarber, DH, Philadelphia Phillies
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Ranger Suarez, SP, Phillies
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Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
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Dylan Cease, SP, San Diego Padres
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Edwin Díaz, RP, New York Mets
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Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Michael King, SP, San Diego Padres
For uber-elite free agents like Schwarber and Tucker, declining the qualifying offer was a no-brainer. Both players are set to make nine figures on the free-agent market. Settling for a one-year deal — despite the fairly high salary — wasn’t a consideration for those players.
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Since Schwarber and Tucker declined the qualifying offer, their former teams will receive draft-pick compensation if Schwarber or Tucker sign with another franchise in free agency.
For players who are not at the top of the free-agent rankings — like Torres or Woodruff — declining the qualifying offer does come with some risk. Teams that sign players who declined a qualifying offer have to give up a draft pick to make the move.
In the past, that has led to some non-elite free agents who declined the qualifying offer sitting on the market for much longer than expected. In those situations, MLB teams decided those types of players weren’t worth giving up a draft pick to sign. Grisham, Imanaga, Torres and Woodruff may have feared that scenario, leading to them accepting their offers Tuesday.
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The upcoming expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, may have also played a role in a record number of players accepting the qualifying offer. MLB’s CBA is set to expire following the 2026 season. Negotiations are expected to be contentious, and some fear a work stoppage could happen. Because of that, more players may have been compelled to take the certainty of a one-year deal now over a multi-year contract that could get disrupted by CBA issues after next season.
With the qualifying-offer deadline out of the way, the free-agent market is officially set barring a shocking release. MLB teams now know exactly which players will be available to them as they look to make improvements in the offseason.