MLB Free Agency 101

Notable 2024 MLB Free Agents

The 2024 free-agent class is headlined by Juan Soto, who is expected to secure the largest contract of the offseason. Other major names hitting the market include Pete Alonso of the Mets, Corbin Burnes from the Orioles, long-time Astro Alex Bregman, Willy Adames of the Brewers, and Braves left-hander Max Fried.

Comprehensive MLB Free Agency Coverage by SportsGrid

SportsGrid delivers in-depth coverage of MLB free agency with a wide range of content, from free agent analysis and player rankings to predictions on signings. Their insights also cover betting strategies, team evaluations, and the impact of signings on future team performance. You can find specialized content like MLB picks, prop bets, and live discussions that dive deep into free agency trends, player movements, and team strategies throughout the offseason.

MLB Free Agency Timeline

MLB free agency begins the day after the World Series wraps up, but free agents aren’t eligible to sign with a new team until five days after. During this period, players and their agents can talk to teams, but official signing activity is restricted to provide current teams an exclusive chance to re-sign their players.

Understanding MLB Contract Options

Contract options in MLB are negotiated when a deal is signed and can give the team or the player the ability to extend the contract for another season. There are different types of options, such as club, player, mutual, and vesting options, each determining who holds the decision-making power and whether additional conditions must be met for the extension to take effect.

Deadline for Contract Options

Teams and players have five days after the end of the World Series to decide whether or not to exercise any contract options.

Opt-Out Clauses in MLB Contracts

Opt-out clauses allow players to leave a contract before it’s complete, becoming free agents. These clauses have grown in popularity, allowing players to renegotiate for higher value if they perform well early in their contract. A notable example is Xander Bogaerts, who exercised his opt-out with the Red Sox and later signed a more lucrative deal with the Padres.

Qualifying Offer Explained

A qualifying offer is a one-year contract offer made to a departing free agent, allowing the player’s former team to receive draft pick compensation if the player signs elsewhere. The value of the qualifying offer changes yearly, and if a player rejects it, the team offering the deal is eligible for compensation, while the signing team forfeits one or more draft picks.

Deadlines for Qualifying Offers

Teams must extend qualifying offers within five days after the World Series, and players have until November 14 at 4 p.m. ET to decide whether to accept or reject the offer.

MLB Salary Arbitration

Salary arbitration is for players with between three and six years of Major League service time who don’t already have a contract in place for the upcoming season. If the player and the team can’t reach an agreement by mid-January, both sides present their desired salary to a panel, which then decides the player’s salary for the next season based on the two figures presented.