The current Major League Baseball offseason reached another critical point at 5 p.m. ET on Friday. This was the deadline for teams to extend contract offers for the 2026 season to their arbitration-eligible players and those players not yet eligible for arbitration. Any players who did not receive these offers became immediately available as free agents, joining a group that has previously included talent like Kyle Schwarber, a designated hitter, and Cody Bellinger, an outfielder.
A detailed look at the 10 most notable decisions not to offer contracts, featuring Nathaniel Lowe, Alec Bohm, and Gavin Lux
R.J. Anderson
CBS Sports will be providing updates on the players who were not offered contracts and are now free agents, starting with the most interesting names. It’s worth noting that players in this situation are typically in the arbitration phase, meaning their salaries are above the league minimum.
Let’s proceed.
Notable MLB players not offered contracts
OF Adolis García, Texas Rangers
García, who was the 2023 ALCS MVP and an important part of the Rangers’ World Series-winning team, was among the players who did not receive a contract offer. In 2025, he had a batting line of .227/.271/.294 with 19 home runs. García has a .278 on-base percentage over his last 1,200 plate appearances. While his defense is strong, his offensive output wasn’t considered sufficient for a corner outfield position. It was estimated that García would have made around $12 million through arbitration in what would have been his last year under team control. The Rangers also decided not to offer contracts to catcher Jonah Heim and right-handed pitcher Josh Sborz. This means they didn’t offer contracts to the ALCS MVP, their starting catcher, and the pitcher who recorded the final out of the World Series clincher from their 2023 championship team.
1B Nathaniel Lowe, Boston Red Sox
Given his projected salary of $13 million, the Red Sox’s decision not to offer a contract to Lowe isn’t surprising. They acquired him from the waiver wire in August. Lowe’s season started poorly with the Washington Nationals, leading to his release and subsequent signing with Boston. He performed well for the Red Sox, posting a .280/.370/.420 line in 34 games, and is considered a Gold Glove-caliber defender at first base. However, the projected salary was deemed too high for a first baseman who has only hit 20 home runs once in his career. Lowe was previously designated for assignment earlier in the week, so this non-tender decision concludes that situation.
RHP Alek Manoah, Atlanta Braves
Just three years prior, Manoah, aged 27, had achieved a third-place finish in the AL Cy Young Award voting. Since then, a series of injuries, most notably Tommy John surgery, have restricted him to a mere 24 MLB starts, during which he posted an ERA of 5.40. He remained absent from major league play in 2025, focusing instead on completing his elbow surgery rehabilitation in the minor leagues. In 10 minor league starts, Manoah recorded an ERA of 3.96. However, his velocity had decreased, and underlying statistics painted a less favorable picture. The Blue Jays placed Manoah on waivers in September, leading to his acquisition by the Braves. He was projected to earn approximately $2 million in 2026. The decision not to offer him a contract likely stems from an inability to reach an agreement on a reduced salary. The team that eventually signs Manoah will have the opportunity to retain him as an arbitration-eligible player in 2027.
OF Christopher Morel, Tampa Bay Rays
Morel was a significant component of the trade that sent Isaac Paredes to the Cubs before the 2024 trade deadline. He possesses considerable power but also struggles with strikeouts and has defensive limitations. These defensive issues translate to a lack of a defined position. Morel primarily played left field for the Rays and has experience in other positions, but his defensive abilities are lacking, making him essentially a designated hitter. Still relatively young at 26, Morel has three more years of team control, meaning that the team securing his services will have the option to keep him under arbitration eligibility in 2027 and 2028. Power of this magnitude is a valuable asset. Many teams may be willing to take a chance on Morel to see if they can help him reach his full potential. His projected salary for the upcoming year was approximately $3 million.
RHP Evan Phillips, Los Angeles Dodgers
Professional baseball can be a demanding world. Phillips, now 31, has consistently performed as one of the Dodgers’ most dependable relief pitchers in the later innings over the past few seasons. On Friday, he found himself without a contract offer, entering the free agent market because he underwent Tommy John surgery in July and is expected to miss the majority or all of the 2026 season. This would have been his final year under team control. Offering Phillips a contract would have kept him with the team until he became a free agent. His projected salary for the upcoming season was roughly $6 million. The Dodgers have the option to re-sign him to a lower-cost, two-year contract, which would allow him to rehabilitate in 2026 and potentially contribute in 2027.
“We engaged in extensive discussions with Evan and his representation,” stated Dodgers’ President of Baseball Operations, Andrew Friedman, regarding Phillips (as reported by the Los Angeles Times). “The situation is complicated by his recovery from surgery. He will require time and will likely seek a contract after demonstrating his ability to throw from the mound once his rehabilitation allows. Evan has played a significant role in our past successes, and we intend to continue discussions about a potential return. We understand and respect his need to evaluate his options and determine the best path forward for himself and his family.”
All Players Not Offered Contracts
Arizona Diamondbacks
LHP Tommy Henry
RHP Taylor Rashi
(Sacramento) Athletics
OF JJ Bleday
Atlanta Braves
RHP Alek Manoah
RHP Carson Ragsdale
Baltimore Orioles
RHP Albert Suárez
Boston Red Sox
1B Nathaniel Lowe
RHP Josh Winckowski
Chicago Cubs
C Reese McGuire
RHP Eli Morgan
Chicago White Sox
LHP Cam Booser
1B Tim Elko
OF Mike Tauchman
Cincinnati Reds
C Will Banfield
RHP Roddery Muñoz
RHP Carson Spiers
Cleveland Guardians
OF Will Brennan
RHP Nic Enright
LHP Sam Hentges
Colorado Rockies
1B Michael Toglia
Detroit Tigers
RHP Dugan Darnell
RHP Jason Foley
LHP Sean Guenther,
UTIL Andy Ibañez
RHP Jack Little
RHP Tyler Mattison
RHP Tanner Rainey
Houston Astros
IF Ramón Urías
Kansas City Royals
RHP Taylor Clarke
OF MJ Melendez
Los Angeles Angels
OF Gustavo Campero
C Sebastián Rivero
Los Angeles Dodgers
RHP Nick Frasso
RHP Evan Phillips
Miami Marlins
none
Milwaukee Brewers
none
Minnesota Twins
OF DaShawn Keirsey Jr.
New York Mets
LHP José Castillo
RHP Max Kranick
LHP Danny Young
New York Yankees
RHP Michael Arias
RHP Jake Cousins
RHP Scott Effross
RHP Ian Hamilton
RHP Mark Leiter Jr.
Philadelphia Phillies
RHP Michael Mercado
RHP Daniel Robert
Pittsburgh Pirates
OF Alexander Canario
RHP Colin Holderman
RHP Dauri Moreta
UTIL Ronny Simon
St. Louis Cardinals
RHP Jorge Alcala
LHP John King
C Yohel Pozo
RHP Sem Robberse
San Diego Padres
LHP Omar Cruz
RHP Sean Reynolds
San Francisco Giants
LHP Joey Lucchesi
Seattle Mariners
RHP Gregory Santos
LHP Taylor Saucedo
RHP Trent Thornton
Tampa Bay Rays
OF Jake Fraley
OF Christopher Morel
Texas Rangers
OF Adolis García
C Jonah Heim
RHP Josh Sborz
RHP Jacob Webb
Toronto Blue Jays
none
Washington Nationals
none
