Dodgers Extend Three Qualifying Offers

A few hours before the qualifying offer deadline, the Dodgers decided to offer QO’s to three of their four eligible free agents.

Zack Greinke, Brett Anderson and Howie Kendrick will each receive qualifying offers, according to ESPN’s Mark Saxon. Jimmy Rollins is the only eligible Dodger free agent not to receive one.

Qualifying offers give the player a one-year contract for the average salary of the top-125 salaries. This year, that number is $15.8 million, so most impending free agents will receive a one-year/$15.8 million contract. Every player that has ever received a qualifying offer has declined it, which gives their old team a compensatory draft pick and costs their new team either their first or second amateur draft pick if they choose to leave. This does not change anything in terms of whether the Dodgers actually plan to keep any of them, it’s sort of a formality.

To be eligible, a player must have been with that team for the whole season. Deadline acquisitions, such as David Price in Toronto and Johnny Cueto in Kansas City, are not eligible to receive QO’s and if they sign with a new team, that team won’t lost a draft pick. It doesn’t matter so much for the upper echelon of free agents, but it could prevent lower-level free agents from getting as many offers.

Oct 10, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) reacts during the sixth inning in game two of the NLDS against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers will undoubtably look to re-sign Greinke to a longer/more expensive contract, and would probably look to retain Anderson and Kendrick. Losing one (or both) of them wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, as getting a draft pick for either of them could help lessen the blow if they go after another restricted free agent (John Lackey/Jason Heyward/Alex Gordon/Hisashi Iwakuma). All players with qualifying offers on the table have a week to decide whether to accept or decline.

The offseason started heating up last night with a six-player trade involving the Mariners and Rays. Tonight marks the beginning of free agency, which will likely get nutty.

The Dodgers also filled one of their coaching openings, as CBS’ John Heyman announced that Rick Honeycutt be brought back for two more years as the Dodger pitching coach.

A pair of Dodger outfielders will hit free agency, as Chris Heisey and Justin Ruggiano will both hit the open market. Heisey cleared waivers, and Ruggiano elected to hit free agency rather than be demoted to AAA-OKC.

Next: Dodgers Lose Davey Lopes to Washington