MLB Qualifying Offer Salary Increase Revealed, Latest Payroll for Each Team for 2026 Free Agency

The MLB offseason is getting closer, and key details are already starting to emerge.

The Associated Press revealed that the qualifying offer price for this year's MLB free agents rose 5.1 percent from $22.03 million to $23.15 million. This represents the highest price since the qualifying offer system was implemented in 2012.

"The figure is determined by the average of the top 125 major league contracts this year," the report stated. "The price dropped by $100,000 to $17.8 million in 2019, then rose to $18.9 million in 2020, fell $500,000 in 2021 and rose to $19.65 million in 2022, $20,325,000 in 2023 and $21.05 million in 2024."

Per Spotrac, the latest payroll for every team is as follows:

1. New York Mets: $346.7 million
2. Los Angeles Dodgers: $339.3 million
3. New York Yankees: $308.3 million
4. Philadelphia Phillies: $291.9 million
5. Toronto Blue Jays: $276.1 million
6. Atlanta Braves: $263.5 million
7. Chicago Cubs: $249.3 million
8. Houston Astros: $239.8 million
9. San Diego Padres: $218.3 million
10. Boston Red Sox: $207.9 million
11. Detroit Tigers: $202.1 million
12. Arizona Diamondbacks: $192.7 million
13. Texas Rangers: 191.3 million
14. San Francisco Giants: $190.2 million
15. Los Angeles Angels: $182.5 million
16. Seattle Mariners: $169.6 million
17. Baltimore Orioles: $167.0 million
18. Kansas City Royals: $150.4 million
19. Milwaukee Brewers: $146.2 million
20. Cincinnati Reds: $128.2 million
21. Colorado Rockies: $121.5 million
22. Minnesota Twins: $115.7 million
23. Pittsburgh Pirates: $106.7 million
24. Chicago White Sox: $103.3 million
25. Washington Nationals: $101.6 million
26. Athletics: $98.9 million
27. St. Louis Cardinals: $96.4 million
28. Tampa Bay Rays: $95.6 million
29. Miami Marlins: $83.3 million
30. Cleveland Guardians: $74.5 million

A qualifying offer can be made through the fifth day after the World Series, and a player has a week after that to decide whether to accept or decline. Only 18 qualifying offers have been accepted out of 157 in MLB history, including a record four last year.

Players who will be eligible to receive qualifying offers after the World Series ends include Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena, New York Yankees closer David Bednar, Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, San Diego Padres reliever Adrian Morejon, Baltimore Orioles starter Trevor Roger and Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki.