Yankees, Cubs Among Four Teams to Bring Back Players on Qualifying Offers

There are nine players who did not accept their qualifying offers and remain free agents.

Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham was one of four MLB players to accept their qualifying offers. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Four MLB players on four different teams accepted their qualifying offers on Tuesday to remain with the clubs they competed for this past season.

All qualifying offers are one-year, $22.025 million contracts to return to their teams for the 2026 season. It gives the teams more time to decide if they want to keep the players around for a longer contract afterwards, or if the player will end up a free agent next offseason.

The big headline was pitcher Shota Imanaga accepting the Cubs’ qualifying offer to remain in Chicago. It was originally believed that he would land elsewhere, but now he’s here to stay in Chicago.

The Yankees will get center field Trent Grisham back in one of the team’s first big decisions of the offseason. New York could now turn its focus to retaining Cody Bellinger for next season.

Pitcher Brandon Woodruff will return to the Brewers after he accepted his qualifying offer. He dealt with various injuries during the 2025 season.

Lastly, the Tigers will retain second baseman Gleyber Torres, who is coming off his first year in Detroit in which he accomplished an All-Star season.

Then, there were nine players who declined their player option, causing them to remain free agents this offseason. Those players include Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Dylan Cease, Edwin Díaz, Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen, Michael King and Framber Valdez.

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