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The Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros in six games to win the 2021 World Series. That means that the season is finally over! Now that the Braves have been crowned champions, it’s time to look ahead to the offseason and MLB free agency. There are bunch of big names who will be hitting the open market this year, including now champion Freddie Freeman, who should get a big payday from the Braves.
When does MLB free agency begin?
Start date: Nov. 7
This is when the exclusive negotiating period begins. Teams have until Nov. 7 to tender their own free agents qualifying offers before they become free agents. Players who are eligible for qualifying offers are those who have not received one in the past. The QO is a one-year deal worth the average of the top 125 salaries in the MLB, which is $18.4 million this year.
Outside of Freeman, there are a handful of big names on the market this offseason. Of the starting pitchers, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw and Robbie Ray are all going to be available. Three of those are World Series champions and Ray will likely be crowned AL Cy Young winner soon. As for bats, there are a ton of players available in the infield. Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Trevor Story and Javier Baez will be highly sought after in the winter. Marcus Semien is another player in for a big pay day after his breakout season with the Toronto Blue Jays.