Major League Baseball’s offseason cleared another important threshold at 5 p.m. ET on Friday, when the deadline for teams to tender 2026 contracts to their arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players passed. Those individuals who do not receive tenders immediately became free agents, joining a class that features past non-tendered talent like designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and outfielder Cody Bellinger.
Breaking down the 10 most interesting non-tender decisions, including Nathaniel Lowe, Alec Bohm, Gavin Lux
R.J. Anderson
Below, CBS Sports will track the league’s non-tendered players, beginning with the most intriguing players who have entered the free agent pool. Do note that non-tendered players tend to be in the arbitration phase, meaning that they’re earning more than the league minimum.
Onward.
Notable non-tendered MLB players
OF Adolis García, Texas Rangers
García, the 2023 ALCS MVP and a key member of the Rangers’ World Series team, was among those non-tendered. He hit .227/.271/.294 with 19 home runs in 2025 — García has a .278 on-base percentage in his last 1,200 plate appearances — and while he plays solid defense, that’s not enough offense for a corner outfield spot. García was projected to make $12 million or so through arbitration in what would have been his final year of team control next season. The Rangers also non-tendered catcher Jonah Heim and righty Josh Sborz, meaning they non-tendered the ALCS MVP, the starting catcher, and the reliever who got the final out of the World Series clincher from their 2023 title team.
1B Nathaniel Lowe, Boston Red Sox
With a projected $13 million salary, it is no surprise the Red Sox non-tendered Lowe, who they signed off the scrap heap in August. Lowe had a tough start to the season with the Washington Nationals and got released, which led him to Boston. He performed well for the Red Sox (.280/.370/.420 in 34 games) and is a Gold Glove-caliber defender at first base, but that projected salary was deemed too high for a first baseman who has hit 20 home runs once in his career. Lowe was designated for assignment earlier this week, so the non-tender wraps up that bit of business.
RHP Alek Manoah, Atlanta Braves
It was only three years ago that Manoah, 27, finished third in the AL Cy Young voting. Injuries, including Tommy John surgery, have limited him to 24 MLB starts with a 5.40 ERA since then. He did not appear in the big leagues in 2025, instead completing his elbow surgery rehab in the minors. Manoah had a 3.96 ERA in 10 minor-league starts, though his velocity was down and the under-the-hood numbers were poor. The Blue Jays waived Manoah in September and the Braves claimed him. He was projected to make $2 million or thereabouts in 2026. The non-tender presumably comes after the two sides were unable to agree to a lower salary. Whichever team signs Manoah will be able to retain him as an arbitration-eligible player in 2027.
OF Christopher Morel, Tampa Bay Rays
Morel was a key piece in the Isaac Paredes trade with the Cubs at the 2024 deadline. He has enormous power, but also swing and miss issues and defensive concerns. Those defensive concerns amount to not having a position. Morel mostly manned left field for the Rays and has dabbled elsewhere on the field, but his glovework is poor and he’s essentially a DH. Still only 26, Morel has another three years of team control remaining, meaning the team that signs him will be able to keep him as an arbitration-eligible player in 2027 and 2028. This kind of power is rare. I reckon more than a few teams are willing to roll the dice on Morel and see whether they can unlock him. He was projected to make close to $3 million next year.
RHP Evan Phillips, Los Angeles Dodgers
It is a harsh business. Phillips, 31, has been one of the Dodgers’ most reliable late-inning relievers the last few years. On Friday, he was non-tendered and sent out into free agency because he had Tommy John surgery in July and will miss most or all of the 2026 season. It would have been a final year of team control, meaning tendering/signing Phillips would have carried him right to free agency. He was projected to make roughly $6 million next season. The Dodgers could re-sign him a lower-cost two-year contract that allows Phillips to rehab in 2026, then contribute in 2027.
“We had a number of back and forth discussions with Evan and his agent,” Dodgers POBO Andrew Friedman said about Phillips (via the Los Angeles Times). “It is challenging with him coming off surgery so he is going to take some time and look to sign after he throws off the mound when his rehab allows. Evan has been a big part of our past success and we will continue the conversation about bringing him back. We respect that he is taking this time to decide what is best for him and his family.”
All non-tenders
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
UTIL Andy Ibañez
Houston Astros
IF Ramón Urías
Kansas City Royals
RHP Taylor Clarke
OF MJ Melendez
Los Angeles Angels
OF Gustavo Campero
C Sebastian 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
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
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