TBNL: Qualifying offers issued; funding concerns arise for the project surrounding A's stadium

Thirteen players were issued a qualifying offer (QO) ahead of Thursday’s deadline. This year’s QO is valued at $22.025 million. 144 players have now received a QO since the system was first implemented in 2012.

Players have until 4 PM EST on November 18 to accept or reject the QO.

Accepting the QO means returning to their old team on a one-year deal. Rejecting means heading into free agency, but with the condition that a signing team would need to give up a draft pick and/or a portion of their international amateur signing pool. The original offering teams will receive a compensation pick in next summer’s draft. The QO-factor has proven to complicate things for many free agents in recent years.

This year’s list includes:

The writers at MLB.com seem to think that Grisham, Torres, and Woodruff might be the most likely candidates to accept the QO. I don’t see any of them doing so. Grisham and Torres are likely seeking a deal that provides security and consistency for the next 3-5 years. Woodruff and the Brewers each just declined a $20 million mutual option (he received a pricey $10 million buyout instead). It seems unlikely he would choose to stay for just $2.025 million more a week later.

The baker’s dozen to get a QO matches last year’s total. Reds’ right-hander Nick Martinez was the only one to accept, becoming just the 14th ever to do so.

The mixed-use development planned around the Athletics’ new Las Vegas stadium may have run into a funding snag. Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. (GLPI) has backed off its funding commitments to the project, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Danzis.

GLPI owns the 35-acre parcel of land on the Las Vegas strip where the Tropicana Hotel & Casino once stood. The company will retain ownership of the land, but they have entered into separate leasing agreements with the A’s stadium project and with Bally’s Corp, which owns the gaming and development rights.

Bally’s plans to build a mixed-use venue that will include a 3,000-room hotel (constructed in two towers on either side of the stadium, per renderings), a 2,500-seat theater, and roughly 500,000 square feet in retail and dining space.

As Jason Burke at On SI notes, the plan and timeline contained four phases when it was unveiled initially in October. Phase 1 is the only part expected to be complete when the stadium opens. It includes a “shared central utility plant” and the southeast parking garage, in addition to an “access way encircling the ballpark.”

Phase 2 is the actual resort, hotel, casino, and sportsbook. Phase 3 includes the theater. Phase 4 is the second tower of the hotel. It’s unclear what the timelines for these phases are.

Burke continues with some other valid points — notably, this news doesn’t necessarily impact the stadium project, but it also isn’t great optics for a process that already has questions about its funding and viability — and also shares links to some of the renderings of what the site will look like upon (if?) completion. The choice to build hotel towers on either side of the stadium is a curious one (are these rooms going to look at the side of a stadium for a view?), not to mention the less-than-ideal grand opening in a half-finished construction project.

26-year-old right-hander Matt Sauer has signed with the KBO’s KT Wiz, per an announcement from the team. Sauer’s career has totaled 24 appearances with the Royals (after being a Rule 5 pick from the Yankees before the 2023 season) and Dodgers (this past season). He has a 6.85 ERA (61 ERA+) over 46.0 IP in that span.

Former Orioles third base coach and interim manager Tony Mansolino didn’t need to wait long to land a new job after Baltimore hired Craig Albernaz to manage the team. Mansolino has joined the Braves as their new third base coach.

Former Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants outfielder Darryl Strawberry received a presidential pardon on Friday for his past tax evasion and drug charges, according to a report from the Associated Press’ Will Weissert. Strawberry pleaded guilty in 1995 to a single count of tax evasion and agreed to pay $430,000 in restitution. He was sentenced to probation a year later following an arrest for cocaine possession and solicitation. Following several parole violations, Strawberry would eventually spend 11 months in jail in 2003.

Jack Levitt had a very brief minor league career as an infielder with Cleveland, hitting .228/.398/.282 in 989 PA from 1951-52, before serving in the Korean War. Upon returning, Levitt remained home in St. Louis and started working in the front office for the NBA’s Hawks. He served in a variety of roles with the organization until they relocated to Atlanta. All told, Levitt spent 34 years in the NBA, also working as a scout and public address announcer. Levitt died earlier this week. He was 93.