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With both Chris Taylor and Corey Seager finalizing their free agent contracts on Wednesday before MLB shut down, both Dodgers qualifying offer decisions have been concluded.
The qualifying offer, which offers draft pick compensation to teams if the players sign elsewhere, was instituted with the collective bargaining agreement beginning after the 2012 season. In the 10 years of the system, 110 players were extended qualifying offers. Eleven accepted, including Brandon Belt returning to San Francisco this year.
The Dodgers have extended 10 qualifying offers in the last decade, with two accepting — Brett Anderson after 2015, for $15.8 million; and Hyun-jin Ryu for $17.9 million after 2018.
Of the eight Dodgers free agents who rejected qualifying offers, four signed elsewhere and four returned to the Dodgers. The same split happened this year with Seager getting 10 years, $325 million from the Rangers — the largest contract signed by any Dodger to receive a qualifying offer — and Taylor coming back to Los Angeles for four guaranteed years.
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 |
During the 2012-16 collective bargaining agreement, teams that lost qualifying offer free agents got a draft pick immediately after the first round. The first of those came in 2015 after Hanley Ramirez signed with the Red Sox. The Dodgers drafted Louisville pitcher Kyle Funkhouser but did not sign him, which brought another compensatory pick, used on pitcher Jordan Sheffield at No. 36 overall in 2016. Sheffield is now with the Rockies after getting selected in the Rule 5 Draft in 2020.
Also in the 2016 draft came the compensatory pick for Zack Greinke signing with Arizona, the 32nd pick. The Dodgers hit this one out of the park, taking catcher Will Smith.
The 2017-21 CBA tweaked compensation when qualifying offer free agents went elsewhere, adding in components based on revenue sharing and competitive balance tax. After Yasmani Grandal signed with the Brewers, the Dodgers got a draft pick after the second round in 2019. The Dodgers used the No. 79 overall pick on high school pitcher Jimmy Lewis, who pitched in Low-A Rancho Cucamonga this season.
Because the Dodgers surpassed the competitive balance tax threshold in 2021, their compensation for losing Seager will be a 2022 draft pick after the fourth round. Once everything shakes out, that pick will likely be around 130th overall or so.