With Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and utility infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor having officially declined their respective $18.4 million Qualifying Offers on Wednesday, the Dodgers still have eight unsigned free agents. They are (alphabetically):

• Kenley Jansen
• Clayton Kershaw
• Corey Knebel
• Jimmy Nelson
• Albert Pujols
• Max Scherzer
• Corey Seager
• Chris Taylor

And while it is very unlikely that Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman will even try to bring back all of his free agents, he will undoubtedly try to bring back several of them.

The problem, of course, is that among the eight are a few who are: A) Very desirable by other teams, and B) Will come with a huge price tag – most notably Max Scherzer and Corey Seager.

Another major reason why there hasn’t been much activity by Friedman to re-sign his free agents yet is that the current MLB/MLB Players Association Collective Bargaining Agreement expires at midnight on December 1, 2021, and expecting any free agent to sign before a new CBA is in place is both very unlikely and, quite frankly, would be foolish.

As much as it pains Dodger fans, it would be an absolute shocker to see Seager and/or Taylor in a Dodgers uniform on Opening Day on March 31, 2022; if there even is an Opening Day on March 31, 2022. Keep in mind that if MLB and the MLBPA cannot agree on a new CBA, a work-stoppage (i.e., baseball strike) is very possible. In fact, many so-called baseball experts are predicting that it will happen. If indeed it does, it will be the first time since 1994-1995 (26 years).

In other words, this whole unsigned free agent thing is very much a “Hurry up and wait” situation.

Stay tuned…

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