The 2026 MLB season ended with the Milwaukee Brewers capturing their first World Series championship by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays. As the 2026‑27 offseason opens, the sport faces a likely work stoppage when the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, which could freeze transactions and delay spring training.
October–November Deadlines
The first key date is Oct. 29, when players with at least six years of service time become free agents at 9 a.m. ET and trades involving 40‑man roster players resume. A five‑day exclusive negotiating period follows, during which free agents may only discuss terms with their most recent team.
On Nov. 1, Gold Glove winners will be announced on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays lead with five finalists each.
Nov. 2 marks several deadlines: most contract option decisions are due, the qualifying offer (a one‑year, $23.15 million contract) must be tendered to eligible free agents, and at 5 p.m. ET the exclusive negotiating period ends, opening unrestricted free agency.
Notable option decisions include Michael King (opt‑out of two years, $58 million with the Padres), Bo Bichette (opt‑out of two years, $84 million with the Mets), and Luis Robert Jr. (Orioles hold a $20 million club option). The Seattle Mariners can extend a qualifying offer to Randy Arozarena, while the Los Angeles Dodgers cannot do so for Tarik Skubal because he was traded mid‑season.
Awards week runs Nov. 9‑12 on MLB Network at 7 p.m. ET each night: Rookies of the Year (Monday), Managers of the Year (Tuesday), Cy Young Awards (Wednesday), and MVPs (Thursday). The All‑MLB Team, Comeback Players, and Relievers of the Year will be revealed Nov. 11.
General managers meet in Las Vegas Nov. 10‑12, a period that often spurs trade talks and lays groundwork for later deals.
Silver Slugger winners are announced Nov. 17. Also on Nov. 17, free agents must decide on qualifying offers by 4 p.m. ET; those who reject are tied to draft‑pick compensation. Teams must file reserve lists by 6 p.m. ET to protect Rule 5 Draft‑eligible prospects, such as Dodgers right‑hander Christian Zazueta and Nationals right‑hander Travis Sykora.
Owners gather in New York Nov. 17‑19 for business meetings, likely serving as a final strategy session before the CBA expiration.
The non‑tender deadline arrives Nov. 20, after which arbitration‑eligible and pre‑arbitration players without contract offers become free agents.
December Uncertainty
The CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1, and a lockout is widely expected. All major‑league transactions would halt immediately.
If a lockout occurs, several December events are uncertain: competitive‑balance draft picks are assigned in early December; the Hall of Fame’s Classic Baseball Committee results are announced Dec. 6; the Winter Meetings in San Diego (Dec. 7‑9) and the draft lottery (Dec. 8) could be canceled, as they were during the previous lockout; the Rule 5 Draft (Dec. 9) would also be at risk.
The draft lottery determines the top six picks of the 2027 amateur draft. The Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, and Oakland Athletics each hold a 19.1% chance at the No. 1 selection. The San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates are ineligible for the lottery due to revenue‑sharing rules.
January–March Schedule
In January, the arbitration filing deadline is Jan. 8, the international signing period opens Jan. 15, and the 2027 Hall of Fame class will be announced Jan. 19. New ballot entrants include Jon Lester and Buster Posey; Omar Vizquel appears for his final year of eligibility.
Arbitration hearings typically run from late January through February. Spring training camps are scheduled to open in mid‑February, with all 30 teams playing their first exhibition games on Feb. 19. A lockout extending into February would delay the start of camp.
Opening Day is set for March 24, featuring an exclusive night game on Netflix, with the remaining 28 clubs beginning March 25. If the lockout persists into March, the regular season would be pushed back, as occurred five years ago when the season started a week late and missed games were made up via doubleheaders and schedule adjustments.
