The Los Angeles Dodgers won their first World Series since 1988 by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in six games, and with that, the MLB offseason began in full earnest last week with the start of free agency.
For the Dodgers, it amounted to a handful of their key players like Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, Kiké Hernandez, Blake Treinen, Pedro Baez and Alex Wood becoming free agents.
Since the Dodgers remained below the luxury tax threshold in 2019, they may have some money to spend this offseason even after giving Mookie Betts a huge 12-year extension after trading for him last winter.
Given the current state of the sport amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic though, it is currently unknown how much the Dodgers and other teams will be willing to spend this winter.
With MLB free agency also comes awards season, general managers’ meetings, Winter Meetings, the annual Rule 5 Draft and more. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, a lot of these events will take place remotely as opposed to in-person like they normally are.
Key MLB dates for 2020-21 offseason
- Wednesday, Oct. 28: Free agency begins at 6 a.m. PT, with teams receiving a five-day window to exclusively negotiate with their own free agents
- Friday, Oct. 30: Some decisions on contract options due by 9 p.m. PT
- Sunday, Nov. 1: End of “quiet period” where teams have an exclusive negotiating window with their free agents, deadline to issue qualifying offers ($18.9 million) to eligible free agents, and most decisions on contract options due
- Monday, Nov. 2: BBWAA Awards finalists (MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year) announced on MLB Network
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Gold Glove Award winners announce on ESPN
- Monday, Nov. 9: American League and National League 2020 Rookie of the Year Award winners announced on MLB Network
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: AL and NL Manager of the Year winners announced on MLB Network
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Cy Young Award winners announced on MLB Network
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Deadline for players to accept or reject the one-year qualifying offer
- Thursday, Nov. 12: MVP winners unveiled on MLB Network
- Tuesday-Thursday, Nov. 17-19: Owners meetings to take place as series of teleconferences
- Friday, Nov. 20: Deadline for clubs to set their 40-man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 Draft
- Wednesday, Dec. 2: Deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players
- Sunday-Thursday, Dec. 6-10: 2020 Winter Meetings originally scheduled to be in Dallas will take place remotely
- Thursday, Dec. 10: Rule 5 Draft concludes Winter Meetings
- Friday, Jan. 15, 2021: Teams and players must exchange filing salary figures for arbitration.
- Mid-January, 2021: National Baseball Hall of Fame Class Announced
- Early to Mid-February: Arbitration hearings
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