Blue Jays Offseason Primer: Everything fans must know about the qualifying offer pre-lockout

The qualifying offer isn't the most glamorous offseason mechanic, but it's been a crucial one in baseball for the past 15 years. With the impending lockout coming on Dec. 1, this could be the last time the QO is ever really relevant to the Toronto Blue Jays.

As a reminder of some key rules surrounding the qualifying offer: Teams must decide within five days of the end of the World Series whether or not to issue one to an eligible player. And, to be considered eligible, a player must have been with their current team for the entire season (i.e., not traded or released) and not have received a QO in the past.

If a player does accept a qualifying offer, they'll receive a one-year contract worth $23.15 million for the 2027 season. If not, they'll enter free agency attached to draft-pick compensation; in other words, the signing team will need to surrender picks in order to sign the player.

With all of that in mind, let's take a look at how the QO can and will impact the Blue Jays this offseason.

Blue Jays unlikely to offer any of their impending free agents a qualifying offer this offseason

Blue Jays players eligible for a qualifying offer this offseason

As a reminder, it's rare for a QO to be given out. Only 13 were made last year, with the Blue Jays getting involved in two of them: They offered one to Bo Bichette before he signed with the Mets, and they signed Dylan Cease after he received one from the Padres.

There aren't really any players currently slated to hit free agency that are likely to garner one from the front office this time around. Maybe you could argue for Shane Bieber to get one given his Cy Young credentials, but years of injuries have sapped a lot of his value.

The following players are ineligible to receive a QO because they've already been given one in the past: George Springer, Max Scherzer, and Patrick Corbin.

Penalties Blue Jays will face for signing a qualified free agent this offseason

Because the Blue Jays are unlikely to extend a qualifying offer to any of their impending free agents, it's unlikely they'll receive additional draft compensation this winter. Just in case they do, though, fans should know that they'll get a pick that falls after the fourth round of the 2027 MLB Draft due to their status as a competitive balance tax payor.

If the Blue Jays sign a qualified free agent this offseason, they'll surrender their second- and fifth-highest picks in the 2027 draft, as well as $1 million from their international bonus pool.

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