A record four players accepted Major League Baseball's qualifying offer on Tuesday, returning to their 2025 teams on one-year deals worth approximately $22 million each. The acceptances by Trent Grisham, Brandon Woodruff, Shota Imanaga and Gleyber Torres mark a significant shift from historical trends. Nine other players, including Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette, declined and entered free agency.
In a departure from past offseasons, four players opted to accept the qualifying offer (QO) deadline, securing one-year contracts for 2026 while forgoing free agency. This contrasts with prior years, where only 14 of 144 eligible players accepted, including just one over the previous two winters.
The players who accepted are New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff, Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga and Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres. Each will earn around $22.025 million, though reports vary slightly on the exact figure, with some citing $22.205 million.
MLB Insider Mark Feinsand highlighted unique factors for each decision. For Torres, an All-Star who struggled post-All-Star break with a .229/.331/.339 slash line and seven home runs in 73 games, the QO avoids draft-pick compensation in 2026 free agency. Grisham, coming off career highs of 34 home runs, 74 RBIs and an .812 OPS, faced market hesitation due to his inconsistent track record. Imanaga, after the Cubs declined a three-year, $57 million option and he rejected a $15 million player option, gains $7.025 million more than the alternative without compensation attached; his 5.17 ERA in his final 12 starts of 2025 factored in. Woodruff, returning to his only team after a 7-2 record and 3.20 ERA in 12 starts before a September lat strain, chose security amid injury concerns and a deep pitching market, guaranteeing $32.025 million through 2026 despite reduced velocity (93 mph fastball average).
Feinsand found Woodruff's choice most surprising given the free-agent pitching depth, while Grisham's was least unexpected due to his outlier season. The decisions benefit other free agents like Merrill Kelly and Harrison Bader by reducing competition. Teams like the Cubs and Brewers appear most pleased, bolstering rotations that include Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton and Freddy Peralta, respectively.
The Cubs also saw Kyle Tucker decline, positioning them for draft compensation if he signs elsewhere.
