Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki Get Qualifying Offers

Randy Arozarena just got a $23.15 million question from Seattle. The Mariners extended a qualifying offer to their outfielder Monday, and the Cubs did the same for Seiya Suzuki, as eight players got the one-year offer on the first day of MLB free agency.

Yankees closer David Bednar also received one. The rest of the list is Brewers first baseman and outfielder Jake Bauers, Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers, Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe and Padres lefty Adrian Morejon. Each player has until Nov. 17 to decide.

How the Qualifying Offer Works

The $23.15 million figure is the average of the top 125 major league contracts this year. A team can only make the offer to a player who has been with it continuously since Opening Day and has never gotten one before.

History says most of these guys will say no. Only 18 of 157 qualifying offers have been accepted since the system began after the 2012 season. If a player turns it down and signs elsewhere before the next draft, his old team gets draft pick compensation at the end of the first round or after competitive balance round B, depending on the new contract and the team's revenue sharing and luxury tax status.

So for Arozarena, Suzuki and Bednar, the real choice is a big one-year number now or a shot at multiple years on the open market, with a pick attached to anyone who signs them.

Who Did Not Get One

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm was a notable name left off the list. About 28 more players became free agents Monday, pushing the total to about 183, and teams could start negotiating with all of them at 5 p.m. ET.

There were other big calls too. Corbin Burnes decided not to opt out of the last four years of his $210 million deal with Arizona. Jose Berrios stayed put in Toronto rather than opt out of his final two seasons. Luis Severino picked up his $22 million player option with the Athletics, and the Tigers declined a $12 million option on Kenley Jansen, who sits third all time with 498 saves.

A Fast Winter Ahead

The clock matters this year. MLB is expected to impose a lockout when the collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, and that could set off a signing frenzy before then. Players who reject their offers by Nov. 17 could be signing fast.

Arozarena in Seattle, Suzuki at Wrigley, Bednar in the Bronx. All three teams want them back at least for one more year. Now we find out who bets on themselves.