The Los Angeles Dodgers are the 2024 World Series champions. They defeated the New York Yankees in five games to clinch the franchise’s eighth championship, and their seventh since leaving Brooklyn in 1958. The was the most anticipated World Series in recent memory and, by and large, it lived up to the hype despite the swift finish.
With the World Series now complete, the 2024-25 offseason has officially begun, and several significant events are right around the corner. Here are the important dates and deadlines for the coming weeks and months.
Oct. 31: Players become free agents, trading resumes
As of 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, eligible players (i.e. those with at least six years of service time) are free agents. It is important to note free agents can not sign with new teams just yet. They have to wait five days for that. The first five days of the offseason are an exclusive negotiating period during which free agents can only talk money with their most recent team. Very, very few players re-sign during the exclusive negotiating period. Edwin DÃaz and the Mets two years ago is by far the most notable in recent memory. Once players get this close to free agency, they typically test the market. Trades involved 40-man roster players can resume on this day as well. Those get put on hold after the trade deadline each summer.
Nov. 3: Gold Glove winners announced
Gold Glove winners announced during an ESPN broadcast at 8:30 p.m. ET. Here are this year’s Gold Glove finalists. In addition to the nine individual positions, there is also a utility Gold Glove and a team Gold Glove.
Nov. 4: Contract option decisions
Most contract option decisions are due on this date. Some contracts specify a different date (the Yankees had to make a decision on Zack Britton’s 2022 club option in November 2020, for example), but the vast majority have to be made within five days of the end of the World Series. Club options are controlled by the team, player options and opt-outs are controlled by the player, and mutual options are kind of pointless. They are essentially a way to move money to next year’s payroll.
Some option decisions are no-brainers, like Sean Manaea opting out of his $13.5 million salary with the Mets or the Diamondbacks picking up their $7 million club option for Merrill Kelly. This offseason’s notable contract option decisions include Gerrit Cole (can opt out of remaining four years and $144 million) and Marcell Ozuna ($16 million club option).
Nov. 4: Deadline to make qualifying offer
Specifically, the deadline is 5 p.m. ET. The qualifying offer is a one-year contract worth the average of the top 125 salaries, or $21.05 million this offseason, according to ESPN. To be eligible for the qualifying offer, a free agent must have spent the entire 2024 season with one team and have never received the qualifying offer previously. For example, the Orioles can make Corbin Burnes the qualifying offer, but the Dodgers cannot do the same to Jack Flaherty because he was traded at midseason.
Nov. 4: Free agency begins
The five-day exclusive negotiating period ends at 5 p.m. ET and free agents are truly free. They can negotiate and sign with any team as of this date. That said, much like the regular season, MLB free agency is a marathon, not a sprint. We (probably) won’t see a rash of signings on Day 1 because MLB is not a salary-capped league, and free agents aren’t worried about getting left out in the cold when cap space runs out.
Nov. 4-7: GM Meetings in San Antonio
Generally speaking, the GM Meetings are used to handle off-the-field matters such as rule changes, among other things. But when you put all 30 GMs in one place, deals inevitably get discussed and sometimes completed. Two years ago, the Braves traded Jake Odorizzi to the Rangers for Kolby Allard at the GM Meetings, for example. Also, the groundwork is often laid for trades that are completed at a later date.
Nov. 11: Awards finalists announced
Finalists for 2024’s major awards will be announced during an MLB Network broadcast at 6 p.m. ET. Those awards are Manager of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, and Most Valuable Player. Three finalists are announced for each award in each league. As a reminder, voting for these awards was completed before the postseason. These are regular-season awards.
Nov. 12: Silver Slugger winners announced
There will be an MLB Network broadcast at 6 p.m. ET. If Silver Sluggers are your thing, this is the date for you. Two years ago, a utility player Silver Slugger was added, then last year MLB and Louisville debuted a team Silver Slugger. The Silver Slugger finalists will be announced Nov. 4.
Nov. 18: 2025 Hall of Fame ballot released
Just the ballot will be announced, to be clear. The voting results and 2025 Hall of Fame class will be revealed at a later date. Here are the players eligible for this year’s ballot. Most notably, this is Billy Wagner’s tenth and final year of eligibility. This is also Year 4 on the ballot for Alex Rodriguez, Year 8 for Andruw Jones, and Year 3 for Carlos Beltrán. Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia are among the first-timers set to join the Hall of Fame ballot this year.
Nov. 18-21: Awards week
That is Rookies of the Year on Monday, Managers of the Year on Tuesday, Cy Youngs on Wednesday, and MVPs on Thursday. The awards will be announced during an MLB Network broadcast at 6 p.m. ET each day. Here are our CBS Sports staff awards picks.
Nov. 19: Qualifying offer decisions
The deadline for free agents to accept or reject the qualifying offer is 4 p.m. ET on this date. Players who accept the qualifying offer sign that one-year, $21.05 million contract and remain with their team (players who accept the QO cannot be traded until next June 15 without their consent). Free agents who reject the qualifying offer are attached to draft-pick compensation. Their former team receives a draft pick if they sign elsewhere, and their new team has to forfeit a draft pick and international bonus money. Pete Alonso and Juan Soto are among the free agents who will surely reject the qualifying offer and instead sign lucrative multi-year contracts this offseason.
Nov. 19: Deadline to file reserve lists
That is a fancy way of saying 6 p.m. ET is the deadline for teams to add eligible minor leaguers to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. Generally speaking, college players drafted no later than 2021 and high school players drafted no later than 2020 are Rule 5 Draft eligible this winter, as are players signed internationally no later than 2020. Among the notable Rule 5 Draft eligible prospects this offseason are Cubs outfielder Owen Caissie and Cardinals righty Tink Hence. Those two and many others will be added to the 40-man roster on this date.
It should be noted there are usually several minor trades on this date as teams get their 40-man roster in order. Two years ago, the Rays traded Xavier Edwards to the Marlins at the Rule 5 Draft protection deadline to clear 40-man space.
Nov. 19-21: Owners meetings in New York
The quarterly owners meetings cover big-picture business matters and are rarely a source of hot stove news or rumors. Last year’s November meetings were notable because the owners voted on the Athletics’ proposed relocation to Las Vegas, which was unanimously approved. There’s nothing as significant on the docket this time around.
Nov. 22: Non-tender deadline
This is the deadline for teams to offer their pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players a contract for 2025. Contracts do not have to be signed yet. An offer just has to be extended. Players who do not receive a contract offer by this date are considered