MLB Odds: Key off-season dates to know
It’s been less than a week since the end of a hard-fought, seven-game World Series, but the off-season is already in full swing with the opening of free agency on Thursday.
We’re here to take you through all the key off-season dates in the lead up to the 2026 MLB season.
Nov. 6: Free agency
The first five days following the end of the World Series are an exclusive window for teams to negotiate with their own free agents before the market opens on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET.
Nov. 6 is also the deadline for:
- Opt outs in player contracts.
- Teams must reinstate players from the 60-day IL to the 40-man roster.
- Teams must decide whether to give qualifying offers to eligible free agents.
One of the most anticipated free agents is Blue Jays short stop Bo Bichette. Toronto extended Bichette a one-year, $22.05 qualifying contract on Thursday. He has until Nov. 18 to accept the deal or elect to enter unrestricted free agency.
Nov. 10-13: GM meetings in Las Vegas/MLB awards announced
All 30 MLB GMs will meet in Las Vegas to discuss the upcoming season and any other league business. It’s also typically a time to lay the groundwork for trades and signings.
The World Series may be over, but there’s still some hardware to hand out. Here’s the schedule:
Nov. 10: Rookie of the Year awards
Nov. 11: Manager of the Year awards
Nov. 12: Cy Young awards
Nov. 13: MVP awards
Nov. 18: Qualifying offer deadline
Players who received qualifying offers have until Nov. 18 to decide if they will accept. Qualifying offers this year are one-year deals worth $22.05 million for next season.
If a player declines a qualifying offer and elects to join a new team in free agency, their former club is eligible to receive draft pick compensation.
Nov. 21: Tender deadline
This is the deadline for teams to offer contracts to all unsigned players, including arbitration-eligible players.
Players not tendered contracts will become free agents.
Dec. 8-11 Winter meetings in Orlando
The Winter meetings bring together teams, agents and players to discuss league business face-to-face.
Two other notable off-season events occur:
Dec. 9: MLB draft lottery to determine first six picks in the amateur draft.
Dec. 10: Rule 5 draft, which allows teams to pick up eligible players not on other teams’ 40-man rosters.
Jan. 8, 2026: Arbitration numbers deadline
Deadline for unsigned players with arbitration rights to exchange contract numbers with their team. The player and team then go in front of an arbitrator, who will decide a contract for next season.
Feb. 11, 2026: Pitchers/catchers report
Pitchers and catchers officially kick off Spring Training when they report to their teams’ off-season homes on Feb. 11.
March 25, 2026: Regular season begins
The San Francisco Giants will host the New York Yankees in a standalone night game to begin the regular season on March 25, 2026. Opening Day for the rest of MLB is scheduled for March 26, the earliest start date in MLB history.
The Blue Jays open their season at home with a three-game series against the Athletics.
