Jake Bauers, David Bednar and six others have until Nov. 17 to decide on $23.15 million qualifying offers, and the system may not survive the lockout.
Major League Baseball's 2026 qualifying offers could be the last ever issued, as both MLB and the players union have proposed scrapping the system in ongoing collective bargaining negotiations. Eight players received the one-year, record $23.15 million qualifying offer on Monday, including Jake Bauers, David Bednar, Seiya Suzuki, and Randy Arozarena. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, with a lockout anticipated as negotiations continue.
The union proposed eliminating draft-pick compensation in May, and the league agreed in June, though the broader labor deal remains stalled over salary cap proposals. The qualifying offer system, which attaches draft-pick penalties to free agents who reject the deal, has been in place since after the 2012 season. If the system is removed, it would mark the first time since 1976 that draft compensation is excluded from MLB free agency.
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