Los Angeles Dodgers free agents Corey Seager and Chris Taylor were both extended the $18.4 million qualifying offer for the 2022 season. They now have until Wednesday, Nov. 17, to accept or reject the one-year deal.
There was some expectation Clayton Kershaw would fall into that category as well, but he was a bit of a wild card because of injury concerns.
Seager and Taylor both figure to decline it. Seager is the easiest to predict, considering he’s entering free agency for the first time in his career as a co-headliner in a star-studded crop of shortstops on the open market.
The 2020 World Series MVP batted .306/.394/.521 with 22 doubles, 16 home runs and 57 RBI in 95 games this year.
While Seager has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Dodgers, several teams are expected to pursue him this offseason. Some believe the 27-year-old could sign a record-breaking contract that exceeds $300 million.
Taylor also is open to remaining with the Dodgers, but his market is expected to be robust as well. Taylor earned a first career All-Star Game selection this year and since becoming a near-everyday player for the Dodgers in 2017, has hit .265/.343/.461 with 133 doubles, 78 home runs and 292 RBI over 623 games.
Although Kershaw missed a significant amount of time this season because of left forearm/elbow trouble, he was still effective when on the mound, pitching to a 3.55 ERA and 3.00 FIP in 121.2 innings of work with a 3.4 WAR.
Kershaw is confident a platelet-rich plasma injection (PRP) injection prior and sufficient rest will allow for a full recovery from what he has maintained is a “flexor issue.”
Some wondered if Kershaw would receive qualifying offer
Expectations across the industry reportedly were that Seager was a lock to be extended a qualifying offer, and Taylor was likely to fall into that category as well.
However, there was some doubt with Kershaw because of a belief the Dodgers would want to avoid potentially impacting his market in free agency with the draft compensation associated with the one-year pact.
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