Here are the important dates and deadlines to get you through the Major League Baseball offseason.
The 2016 Major League Baseball season is in the books — congratulations, Chicago Cubs! — and the 2016-17 offseason has begun. Beginning Monday, November 7, the Baseball Writers Association will start to announce the individual player awards for the 2016 season while the MLB Hot Stove season kicks off with deadlines for qualifying offers and contract options.
Here is the full schedule of events for the 2016-17 Major League Baseball offseason.
Player Awards Announcement Schedule
November 7: BBWAA Awards Finalists Show (MLB Network)
November 8: Rawlings Gold Glove Awards (ESPN)
November 9: Players Choice Awards (MLB Network)
November 10: Louisville Silver Slugger Awards (MLB Network)
November 14: BBWAA Rookies of the Year (MLB Network)
November 15: BBWAA Managers of the Year (MLB Network)
November 16: BBWAA Cy Young Awards (MLB Network)
November 17: BBWAA Most Valuable Player Awards (MLB Network)
November 18: Esurance MLB Awards (MLB Network and MLB.com)
2016 Calendar
November 7 (5 days after World Series): Last day to exercise contract options for 2017. Francisco Rodriguez has a $6 million team option for 2017 with a $2 million buyout, and Cameron Maybin has a $9 million offer with a $1 million buyout.
November 7 (5 days after World Series): Deadline for teams to make qualifying offers to their free agent players. The Tigers will not be making any offers. The only Detroit free agents are Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Erick Aybar, and Casey McGehee.
November 14 (12 days after World Series): Deadline for free agents to accept qualifying offers.
November 7-10: General managers' meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona
November 16-17: MLB owners meetings in Chicago, Illinois
November 20: Last day to submit 40-man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 draft
December 1: Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between MLB owners and MLB Players' Association expires.
December 2: Last day for teams to offer 2017 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. Arbitration-eligible players* are often non-tendered by or before this date.
December 5: Hall of Fame vote announced in National Harbor, Maryland
December 5-8: MLB Winter Meetings in Washington, D.C.
December 8: Rule 5 draft
2017 Calendar
January 12 (est.)*: Salary arbitration filing date for teams and players. Andrew Romine, Jose Iglesias, Justin Wilson, Alex Wilson, Nick Castellanos, Bruce Rondon are eligible.
January 15 (est.)*: Salary arbitration figures exchanged
February 1-21*: Salary arbitration hearings
February 13 (est.)**: Voluntary reporting date to spring training for pitchers, catchers and injured players
February 18 (est.)**: Voluntary reporting date to spring training for other players
February 21 (est.)** : Mandatory reporting date to spring trainingfor all players
February 25 (est.)**: Grapefruit League exhibition games begin
March 15: Last day to place a player on unconditional release waivers and pay 30 days termination pay.
March 29: Last day to request unconditional release waivers on a player and pay 45 days’ salary instead of his full 2017 salary.
April 2: Opening Day, 3 games. Active rosters reduced to 25 players.
April 3: The real Opening Day. The Tigers play their first game of the season at the Chicago White Sox.
April 7: Tigers’ home opener vs. the Boston Red Sox
FULL 2017 DETROIT TIGERS’ SCHEDULE HERE
*MLB has not released dates for arbitration deadlines, as they are subject to the new CBA.
**The Tigers, like most teams, have not formally announced dated for players to report to spring training. The dates posted reflect reporting dated of other teams that have announced.