Qualify Offers Question

[Sour Masher]

I am clearly not getting something about how these works. Aside from the player accepting the offer, what is the downside to offering them? I was surprised Kershaw did not get one, and really surprised Rodon did not get one. My understanding is that making the offer does not preclude a team working out a bigger deal with the player. And if the player rejects the deal, the team gets a pick from anyone who signs him, so it not only gives the team who makes the offer a pick if they lose him, doesn't if give the leverage to resign the player for longer as well?

So, for a player like Rodon, who had a career year and would never except the qualifying offer, what is the downside that made the White Sox not make the offer? In not making the offer, didn't they just lose a free pick if another team signs him?

[harmon]

This exact question was addressed in The Athletic today.

Speculation is the Sox are quite concerned about his injury history and feel that he's a big risk for 2022.

Further speculation that they might try to sign him to an incentive laden longer term deal at a lower annual cost.

[Bene Futuis]

I fear Kershaw didn’t get one because of the state of his left arm.

[chancellor]

I am clearly not getting something about how these works. Aside from the player accepting the offer, what is the downside to offering them?

The player accepting the offer can be a pretty big disincentive. I'm not sure what the QO figure is this year, but I suspect it's around $18.5 million. That's a significant chunk of team cap space.

I also wonder if players/agents keep track of teams who QO players who are good enough to get a multi-year deal, but aren't star players, knowing that a QO can wreck a good, but not great, players market. And then those teams that have that rep get avoided by free agent players.

[Gregg]

The player accepting the offer can be a pretty big disincentive. I'm not sure what the QO figure is this year, but I suspect it's around $18.5 million. That's a significant chunk of team cap space.

I also wonder if players/agents keep track of teams who QO players who are good enough to get a multi-year deal, but aren't star players, knowing that a QO can wreck a good, but not great, players market. And then those teams that have that rep get avoided by free agent players.

I would not want my team to spend $18.5m for a one year deal on Kershaw or Rodon. Too much risk and I would rather they put that money elsewhere.