MLB 2023-2024 offseason calendar: Key dates for the Tigers
DETROIT — The Texas Rangers shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5 on Wednesday night to win their first World Series in franchise history. That means the offseason officially starts today.
The Detroit Tigers, on the playoff sidelines for the ninth consecutive season, have had the last month to plot their course for 2024.
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris will make his first moves in the coming days, clearing room on the 40-man roster to activate players from the 60-day injured list.
The first chance for in-person wheeling and dealing will come at next week’s General Manager Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Here’s the complete offseason calendar, which will be updated as dates are finalized.
Nov. 2: Eligible players become free agents at 9 a.m. but are not allowed to sign with any team other than their own for five days. The Tigers have two traditional free agents: Right-handed pitcher Jose Cisnero and left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd.
Nov. 5: Rawlings Gold Glove winners announced at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. Tigers utility man Zach McKinstry is a finalist.
Nov. 6: Five days after the World Series is a busy day on the calendar. The exclusive signing window comes to an end, which means players can now sign with any team. It’s also the deadline for making option and opt-out decisions.
For roster management purposes, it is the final day to reinstate players from the 60-day injured list. Eligible minor-league players will also become free agents at 5 p.m., which means some teams may choose to add one or more minor-leaguers to the 40-man roster to prevent their free agency.
Today is the final day for teams to extend a qualifying offer (a one-year contract worth about $20.5 million) to eligible free agents. The Tigers won’t have any player to whom they would consider extending a qualifying offer. Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has previously received a qualifying offer (when he left the Boston Red Sox) and thus can’t receive another.
Speaking of Rodriguez, this is the final day for him to formally opt out of the remaining three years of his contract with the Tigers. It would be a major surprise if Rodriguez does not do so. Shortstop Javier Baez also has an opt-out, but he is not expected to exercise it.
Finally, the Tigers must also make an option decision by today. Catcher Carson Kelly, acquired in August when the Tigers parted ways with Eric Haase, has a club option for $3.5 million in 2024. The Tigers have not indicated whether they plan to exercise it.
Nov. 6: The Baseball Writers Association of America will release the top three finalists for all of its big awards at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.
Nov. 7-9: The annual General Manager Meetings are held in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Tigers technically have a general manager now after the hiring of Jeff Greenberg in September, but Harris will still be the No. 1 decision-maker.
Nov. 9: Silver Slugger Awards announced at 6 p.m. on MLB Network. Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson is a finalist.
Nov. 13: Jackie Robinson Rookies of the Year announced.
Nov. 14: Players who received qualifying offers must decide by today at 4 p.m. whether to accept them. If a player rejects a qualifying offer and subsequently signs elsewhere, his old team will receive a compensatory draft pick.
Nov. 14: Reserve lists must be finalized and submitted by this date. In other words, it’s the deadline to add a player to the 40-man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
Nov. 14: Managers of the Year announced.
Nov. 14-16: Owners meeting in Arlington, Texas. We should have more clarity on the Athletics’ planned move to Las Vegas.
Nov. 15: Cy Young Award winners announced.
Nov. 16: League MVP Award winners announced.
Nov. 17: Today is the so-called non-tender deadline. It’s the final day to tender contracts to players under team control. All players with under six years of service time must be tendered a contract for 2024 or “non-tendered” and allowed to become free agents.
Nov. 23: Thanksgiving
Dec. 3-6: The annual Winter Meetings will take place this week in Nashville, Tenn.
Dec. 3: The Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era Committee will meet in Nashville. The group is considering managers, executives and umpires on this year’s ballot. Former Tigers manager Jim Leyland is among the eight candidates. The results of the committee’s vote will be announced at 7:30 p.m. on MLB Network.
Dec. 5: The MLB draft lottery to determine the 2023 draft order will take place in Nashville. The Tigers have a 1.6 percent chance of getting the first pick.
Dec. 6: The Rule 5 Draft concludes the Winter Meetings. This draft allows teams to select unprotected players from other clubs. A year ago, the Tigers drafted right-handed pitcher Mason Englert from the Texas Rangers.
Jan. 12, 2024: This is the final day for teams and players to exchange arbitration figures. While they can continue to negotiate after this date, not all teams are willing to do so. The figures will be locked in for a potential arbitration hearing sometime in February.
Jan. 15, 2024: The international signing window opens. It runs through the middle of December, although many top prospects will sign immediately (having already agreed to deals unofficially).
Jan. 23, 2024: Results of the BBWAA Hall of Fame balloting will be announced.
Feb. 13, 2024: Expected first day for pitchers and catchers to report to spring training.
Feb. 18, 2024: Expected first day for position players to report to spring training.
Feb. 24, 2024: The Tigers open the Grapefruit League exhibition season with a game against the New York Yankees in Lakeland, Fla.
March 20, 2024: The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres open the regular season with two games in Seoul, South Korea.
March 28, 2024: The Tigers open the 2024 regular season at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago against the White Sox.
April 5, 2024: The Tigers’ home opener is today at Comerica Park against the Oakland Athletics.
July 16, 2024: MLB All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.
July 21, 2024: Induction ceremonies at Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Aug. 18, 2024: The Tigers face the New York Yankees in Williamsport, Pa., in the 2024 MLB Little League Classic.
