Part 11/13:
This dynamic raises an interesting question: Are players rejecting qualifying offers because they believe they can secure even bigger paydays next year, or are they simply confident in their market value? Historically, players like Cody Bellinger and Francisco Lindor have opted out to test free agency, eventually striking big deals. Others, like Shane Bieber, took a different route, opting to stay with their current teams at a discount—a choice that, in Bieber’s case, may have saved the Blue Jays from a costly departure and opened the door for team stability.