Bumgarner gets qualifying offer, Martinez stays with Red Sox
NEW YORK >> Madison Bumgarner was among 10 free agents who received $17.8 million qualifying offers from their former teams on Monday, a move that likely will decrease demand for the 30-year-old left-hander.
Bumgarner, the 2014 World Series MVP, went 9-9 with a 3.90 ERA over 34 starts this year after two injury-shortened seasons. San Francisco also made a qualifying offer to left-handed reliever Will Smith.
Six pitchers received the qualifying offers among the 168 free agents, including right-handers Gerrit Cole (Houston), Stephen Strasburg (Washington), Zack Wheeler (New York Mets) and Jake Odorizzi (Minnesota). The others given the offers were third basemen Anthony Rendon (Washington) and Josh Donaldson (Atlanta), first baseman José Abreu (Chicago White Sox) and outfielder Marcell Ozuna (St. Louis).
On the day before free agents can start negotiating contracts with all teams, Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez decided to stay in Boston instead of becoming a free agent, declining an option that would have voided the last three years and $62.5 million owed as part of the $110 million, five-year contract he signed after teams had reported to spring training in 2018.
Elvis Andrus is staying with the Rangers after the shortstop passed on a second chance to opt out of his contract, give up $43 million over the next three years and become a free agent.
Milwaukee cut $15 million in payroll for next season, trading right-hander Chase Anderson to Toronto for outfield/first base prospect Chad Spanberger and declining a $7.5 million option on power-hitting first baseman Eric Thames. Anderson was 8-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 27 starts and five relief appearances. Milwaukee had planned to decline his $8.5 million option, which would have made him eligible for salary arbitration, and Toronto exercised the option following the trade.
Pittsburgh exercised options on right-hander Chris Archer ($9 million) and outfielder Starling Marté ($11.5 million), preventing them from becoming free agents.