MLB’s offseason schedule for 2023–2024: awards, non-tenders, arbitration, Rule 5 draft, free agents, and more

Baseball doesn’t stop just because there are no games. Here’s a handy calendar of everything happening before next season begins.

Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on winning the 2023 World Series, the first championship in their 63-year history. Among other things, this means that Aroldis Chapman, who spent seven years with the Yankees and signed his biggest free-agent deal there, now has two rings — neither of which is with the Yankees. He’ll add a Rangers ring to the one he won with the Cubs in 2016.

With that, baseball’s offseason commences. Here’s a handy calendar to help you fill your fall and winter until Opening Day 2024.

The day after the conclusion of the World Series (today): All players with at least six years of service time who are not under contract for the 2024 season will automatically become free agents (in fact, officially were as of a couple of hours ago, 8 a.m. CT today). Minor league players with six years of service will also become free agents if not added to a 40-man roster. For the first five days after the World Series there is a “quiet period” when clubs can talk to free agents but can’t sign them.

At the end of the quiet period (November 6, 4 p.m. CT), clubs must decide whether or not to extend one-year qualifying offers to their free agents. The qualifying offer dollar amount for 2024 has not yet been officially announced, but per Joel Sherman in the New York Post it’s likely to be around $20.5 million, up from $19.65 million last year. Cody Bellinger will, of course, receive a qualifying offer. He’s the only Cub likely to get one.

Players who receive a QO then have 10 days (deadline: November 14) to decide whether or not to take it. If they don’t, they are immediately eligible to sign with another team.

The end of the five-day quiet period is also the deadline to settle 2024 contracts with opt-out clauses, player options, club options and mutual options. The Cubs players in those categories are Drew Smyly, Marcus Stroman, Kyle Hendricks and Yan Gomes. Here’s a complete list of players who are in those contract situations heading into 2024.

At the same time, teams are required to move all players on the 60-day injured list back to the active roster. The following six Cubs players are currently listed on the 60-day IL: Nick Burdi, Michael Fulmer, Codi Heuer, Brandon Hughes, Nick Madrigal and Ethan Roberts. Fulmer is a pending free agent, so he’ll be one who is removed from the list.