:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65628560/1178265208.jpg.0.jpg)
Good morning, McCoven!
As expected, the Giants extended qualifying offers yesterday to both Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith. They now have ten days to decide whether or not to accept (assuming they haven’t announced their decisions before this publishes).
Of the two, only Smith would even be likely to take the offer. But, that doesn’t mean that the Giants are necessarily parting ways with them. They can still negotiate a longer contract after that, so there’s some good news there for those not ready to part with them.
The pair join just eight other players to receive a qualifying offer on Monday, including some we just watched in the World Series, with Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, and Gerrit Cole as big targets if they turn them down/don’t work something out with their current team.
Ten players tendered qualifying offers today:
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 4, 2019
Josh Donaldson, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, Gerrit Cole, Jose Abreu, Jake Odorizzi, Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler, Will Smith, Marcell Ozuna.
They have 10 days to accept or reject the $17.8 million offers.
The hot stove is heating up, and though it is still quite warm in Northern California, I look forward to warming my hands over the free agency blitz soon enough.
What do you think is most likely to happen with Smith and Bumgarner?