MLB Free Agent Qualifying Offers Decrease in Value for the First Time and That's a Bad Sign

Though October baseball is still very much in gear, with Championship Series action set to get underway on Friday, the 26 teams that aren't in the playoffs already have their eyes set on the offseason, managing qualifying offers for their pending free agents before moving on to other concerns.

This year, however, the price of retaining a star in that manner has decreased.

Players who accept qualifying offers for 2020 will make $17.8 million according to Jeff Passan, $100,000 less than the value of qualifying offers in 2018.

The value of the offer is based off of the average salary of the 125 highest-paid players in baseball. The fact that it decreased doesn't bode well for relations between the Player's Association and the league, especially considering talks of a new collective bargaining agreement have gained little traction. In case it wasn't already clear, talented players aren't being paid their relative value to the league's resources.

It's especially concerning considering this is the first time it has ever decreased in value since it was introduced in 2012. Prior to this year, the lowest increase in the qualifying offer's value from year to year had been $200,000.

Last year's free agent market should have been a warning that something of this nature was lurking. Superstars like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado had to wait right up until Spring Training to sign deals, while All-Star caliber pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel, both of whom were extended qualifying offers by their respective teams, didn't receive deals until June.

Another stagnant offseason coupled with the decrease in the offer's value could all but assure that labor relations are reaching a breaking point.