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As expected, free agents Corey Seager and Chris Taylor declined the qualifying offer from the Dodgers, the team announced Wednesday, which will bring draft pick compensation to the team should they sign elsewhere.
Wednesday was the deadline for players to accept or decline the qualifying offer, which is a one-year, $18.4 million contract determined from the average of the top 125 MLB salaries over the previous season. The Dodgers on November 7 extended qualifying offers to Seager and Taylor, but did not give one to Clayton Kershaw.
The only MLB player to accept the qualifying offer was the Giants’ Brandon Belt, with 13 players declining, per the MLB Players Association.
Seager is on the top tier of this year’s free agent class, along with fellow shortstop Carlos Correa, and is expected to sign a nine-figure contract. Seager declining the qualifying offer was obvious. For Taylor, his versatility in playing both the infield and outfield, combined with his above-average offense, provided a robust market. Among various MLB free agent predictions, Taylor is expected to get a lucrative multi-year deal. Our crowdsource at True Blue LA pegged Taylor for a contract in the range of four years, $60 million.
Declining the qualifying offer doesn’t preclude Seager and Taylor from signing with the Dodgers. It just means the Dodgers get something if they don’t.
As a competitive balance tax payer this season, the Dodgers’ draft pick compensation should Seager and/or Taylor sign elsewhere is a selection immediately after the fourth round of the 2022 draft.
Since the beginning of the qualifying offer system in 2012, the Dodgers have extended 10 qualifying offers, eight of which have been rejected.
Dodgers qualifying offer history
| Player | Year | QO amount | Decision | Contract | Team | Comp pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Year | QO amount | Decision | Contract | Team | Comp pick |
| 2014 | Hanley Ramirez | $15,300,000 | Rejected | 4 years, $88m | Red Sox | Kyle Funkhouser, RHP* |
| 2015 | Brett Anderson | $15,800,000 | Accepted | 1 year, $15.8m | Dodgers | n/a |
| 2015 | Zack Greinke | $15,800,000 | Rejected | 6 years, $206.5m | D-backs | Will Smith, C |
| 2015 | Howie Kendrick | $15,800,000 | Rejected | 2 years, $20m | Dodgers | n/a |
| 2016 | Kenley Jansen | $17,200,000 | Rejected | 5 years, $80m | Dodgers | n/a |
| 2016 | Justin Turner | $17,200,000 | Rejected | 4 years, $64m | Dodgers | n/a |
| 2018 | Yasmani Grandal | $17,900,000 | Rejected | 1 year, $18.25m | Brewers | Jimmy Lewis, RHP |
| 2018 | Hyun-jin Ryu | $17,900,000 | Accepted | 1 year, $17.9m | Dodgers | n/a |
| 2021 | Corey Seager | $18,400,000 | Rejected | 10 years, $325m | Rangers | after 4th round, 2022 |
| 2021 | Chris Taylor | $18,400,000 | Rejected | 4 years, $60m | Dodgers | n/a |