Monday was an important day on the offseason calendar, marking the end of MLB’s “quiet” period, an exclusive negotiating window in which teams can retain their free agents. Those players are now eligible to sign with a new team. Monday was also the deadline for teams to tender qualifying offers to eligible free agents and finalize 2027 option decisions.
With baseball’s Hot Stove ready to ignite, let’s take a look at the latest news and early offseason rumors around the game.
Who’s in on Skubal?
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is far and away the best free agent on the market this offseason, and many assume the Dodgers will be making a strong effort to re-sign him after surrendering three prospects to acquire the left-hander at the Trade Deadline.
But Los Angeles could face significant competition in the Skubal sweepstakes. The Mets’ starting-pitching needs and big budget makes them an obvious fit.
The Cubs are expected to be in the mix as well. With Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Clay Holmes, Matthew Boyd, David Peterson and Colin Rea all on the free-agent market, Chicago’s rotation needs are glaring. ESPN’s Jeff Passan hears the Cubs “badly want Skubal,” though it’s questionable whether they’ll be willing to offer him the type of megadeal he’s likely to command from other organizations.
According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, the Yankees are “thinking about” making a push for Skubal, too. The Bronx Bombers’ rotation is stacked, but they could sign Skubal and then trade from their stockpile of starters to address other needs.
McDaniel lists the Padres, Angels and White Sox as “sleepers with ownership changes behind the interest.”
MLB.com senior national reporter Mark Feinsand has more on Skubal’s market here.
8 players receive qualifying offers
Eight players were tendered a qualifying offer (a one-year, $23.15 million deal for 2027) prior to Monday’s deadline: outfielders Randy Arozarena (Mariners) and Seiya Suzuki (Cubs), relievers David Bednar (Yankees) and Adrian Morejon (Padres), second baseman Brandon Lowe (Pirates), first baseman Jake Bauers (Brewers), catcher Ryan Jeffers (Twins) and starter Trevor Rogers (Orioles).
Those players have until 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 17 to accept. Players who accept qualifying offers are signed with their teams for the next season at the designated value. Those who don't accept remain free agents, and if a new team signs them, their old team receives Draft pick compensation.
Notable free agents who were eligible for a qualifying offer but didn’t receive one include second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., outfielder Ian Happ and starter Matthew Boyd. Read more on this year's qualifying offers here.
Japanese stars posted
After Munetaka Murakami (35 HR) and Kazuma Okamoto (33 HR) both exceeded 30 homers as big league rookies in 2026, another top Japanese slugger is on his way to the Majors. Third baseman Teruaki Sato, who has been made available to MLB clubs via the posting system, won Nippon Professional Baseball’s Triple Crown with a .306 average, 39 homers and 106 RBIs this past season. He’s arguably the top bat on the free-agent market this offseason.
A pair of right-handed pitchers from the Land of the Rising Sun also have been posted: Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh. After pitching successfully out of the bullpen since 2024, Taira moved back into the rotation this season and led NPB with a 1.36 ERA over 23 games. Itoh posted a 3.18 ERA and 159 strikeouts over 172 2/3 innings in 2026, one year after winning the Sawamura Award -- the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young Award.
All three have 45 days from their official posting date to sign with an MLB team.
Notable option decisions
As usual, players and teams had five days after the conclusion of the World Series to finalize option decisions -- including opt-outs, player options, club options and mutual options -- for next season.
While many option calls came as no surprise, the Padres' decision to decline Nick Pivetta's club option was unexpected. Pivetta initially had a 2027 player option, but it became a club option when he spent significant time on the injured list with a flexor strain this past season. If the Padres had exercised his 2027 option, Pivetta would have had a '28 player option worth $18 million, which likely played a part in San Diego's decision.
Assuming he's healthy, the veteran righty is an intriguing free agent. He pitched like a frontline starter on a per-inning basis over the past two years, recording a 2.87 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP and a 9.7 K/9 over 39 starts. The Padres haven't ruled out a reunion.
Michael King, Clay Holmes and Emilio Pagán are all free agents as well after exercising player opt-outs. Bo Bichette, meanwhile, elected not to opt out of the final two years on his three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets.
You can see how all 2027 option decisions played out here.