The qualifying offer – which the Mets may choose to extend to Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino this offseason- projects to hit a record $21.2 million, according to a New York Post report on Friday.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Teams have until five days after the World Series to decide if they want to submit a qualifying offer to free agents. Players then get until Nov. 19 to decide whether or not to accept it, which could result in a one-year contract at the new price tag. Players who reject the QO will enter free agency, and teams get draft pick compensation if a player signs elsewhere.
The record $21.2 million figure was based on initial projections from MLB, the Post reported. The league and Players Association will finalize the number in October. It is based on the average salary of the top 125 players.
Typically, a majority of players decline the QO. Since 2012, when the qualifying offer was introduced, 118 of 131 players have rejected it, according to the Post. Last year, when the offer was $20.3 million, all seven whom were offered did not accept it. Players can only be presented the qualifying offer once. Also, players who switch teams during the season are ineligible, so any trade deadline acquisitions would not factor into the equation.
Barring injury, free agent-to-be Alonso will most likely receive the offer and reject it.
Manaea and Severino, however, are more interesting cases.
Manaea has a $13.5 million player option for 2025, and the Post reports that he could potentially fetch a deal in the three-year, $45 million range, which would put his average annual value at $15 million. Would the Mets want to offer $21.2 million for one season to the left-hander and collect draft compensation if he walks, or allow him to test the free agent market with the risk of receiving nothing in return if the two sides can’t come to an agreement?
Severino, who will be 31 in February, made $13 million this season after inking a one-year deal with the Mets. The same general questions apply to him, though his long history of injuries present additional risk.
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