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Corey Seager, Chris Taylor decline qualifying offer from Dodgers

LA would get draft pick compensation should they sign elsewhere

Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Milwaukee Brewers 10-3 during a baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

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
*Funkhouser did not sign