Players who reject a qualifying offer often wear a scarlet letter into free agency. The New York Mets have stayed clear of many of those players with Juan Soto being an exception. It cost the Mets two draft picks plus international bonus slot money. Was it worth it? You don’t play this game to win with draft picks.
Penalties will again apply in 2026 for teams who sign a player who rejected a qualifying offer. They haven’t been handed out yet, but the Mets will need to heavily weigh which available players are worth the penalty.