Desmond, Zimmermann receive qualifying offers

9/27/15: Ian Desmond gets a warm ovation from the fans at Nationals Park upon exiting the game in the 9thBy making a qualifying offer, a club is guaranteed a compensatory Draft pick -- that pick would come at the end of the first round -- if a player rejects the offer and signs with another club in free agency.

Desmond is coming off a down season, during which he hit .233 with 19 home runs, 62 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. The Nationals tried to sign Desmond to a seven-year extension worth $107 million in early 2014, but Desmond turned it down.

After going 0-for-2 with a walk on the last day of the season against the Mets, Desmond had tears in his eyes and had a tough time putting the words…