Madison Bumgarner was among 10 free agents who received $17.8 million qualifying offers from their former teams on Monday, a move that likely will decrease demand for the 30-year-old lefthander.
Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, went 9-9 with a 3.90 ERA over 34 starts this year after two injury-shortened seasons. San Francisco also made a qualifying offer to lefthanded reliever Will Smith.
Four other pitchers received the qualifying offers among the 168 free agents: the Twins' Jake Odorizzi, Houston's Gerrit Cole, Washington's Stephen Strasburg and the Mets' Zack Wheeler. The other four players were Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon, Atlanta third baseman Josh Donaldson, White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and St. Louis outfielder Marcell Ozuna. Free agents are now free to negotiate with all teams.
A new team signing a player who turned down the qualifying offer would lose at least one pick in next year's amateur draft as compensation unless a deal is struck after the draft starts in June. Players have until 4 p.m. Nov. 14 to accept the one-year deal. Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only three of 80 offers have been accepted.
Other moves
Designated hitter J.D. Martinez decided to stay in Boston instead of becoming a free agent, declining an option that would have voided the last three years and $62.5 million owed to him. Shortstop Elvis Andrus is staying with Texas after choosing not to give up $43 million over the next three years. Pittsburgh exercised options on righthander Chris Archer ($9 million) and outfielder Starling Marte ($11.5 million).
Among those whose options were declined were Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun, Atlanta righthander Julio Teheran and Philadelphia righthander Pat Neshek. Former All-Star pitcher Danny Salazar refused an outright assignment to the minor leagues from Cleveland and became a free agent.
Milwaukee cut $15 million in payroll for 2020, trading righthander Chase Anderson — who has an $8.5 million option for 2020 — to Toronto and declining a $7.5 million option on first baseman Eric Thames.
Up for Hall of Fame
Dwight Evans, Thurman Munson and Lou Whitaker were added to the ballot for the baseball Hall of Fame's modern era committee to consider next month, and Luis Tiant was dropped.
