10 Notable Non-Tender Candidates By Friday 8pm


Friday at 8pm is the deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players. Any player not tendered a contract becomes a free agent immediately. 

There are a number of notable names on the list of players on the bubble, so without further ado, let's have a look at 10 notable non-tender candidates around MLB:

1. Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers

Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP is clearly the biggest name on this list. At some point, the Dodgers are sure to run out of patience waiting for Bellinger to recapture his old form. While still a more than competent center fielder, the last two seasons have been dreadful for Belli at the plate, as he's posted a combined .611 OPS with 29 home runs in 239 games. He would be set to earn about $18M in arbitration. For a .210 hitter? 

2. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, New York Yankees

The shortstop quickly fell from grace in his first season in the Bronx. His defense at shortstop was highly questionable, and he was even benched at points in the playoffs. Besides, the Yankees' top two prospects, Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, could be ready to take over in the middle infield.

3. Dominic Smith, New York Mets

A once-promising bat for the Mets, the 1B/OF, who had a .993 OPS with 10 HR in 50 games in the shortened 2020 season, he's quickly fallen off the radar for the Mets. There's simply no place for him in the team's lineup. 

4. Luke Voit, Washington Nationals

He looked like the answer at first base for the Yankees in 2020 after he led the majors with 22 home runs in the shortened season while batting .277. But his offense has cratered since then, hitting under .230. He came to the Nats in the Juan Soto trade, but did very little to convince them to keep him on.

5. Brian Anderson, Miami Marlins

Also a once-promising prospect, Anderson's star has fallen, as his batting average and overall production have dropped in each of the last four seasons. His expected $6.75M salary in arbitration could be too rich for the penny-pinching Marlins, for the limited production he now provides.

Others to keep an eye on who might be joining the free agent pool:

  • Jeimer Candelario, 3B, Detroit Tigers
  • Alex Reyes, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
  • Emilio Pagán, RHP, Minnesota Twins
  • Kevin Newman, INF, Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Adam Engel, OF, Chicago White Sox
Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports