Key offseason dates to know for Phillies, MLB

We’re officially five days removed from the World Series, which carries some significance in the baseball offseason. As such, here are key dates to know for the Phillies and MLB over the next few months until Opening Day.

November 6: Qualifying Offer deadline

This is the deadline for teams to extend qualifying offers (one year, $22.025 million). The Phillies will give one to Ranger Suárez and Kyle Schwarber. They will both decline it. Should they then sign elsewhere, the Phillies will get a fourth round draft pick as compensation.

November 6 at 5 p.m. ET: Teams can sign free agents

The floodgates will not open, but it’s the start of what should be an interesting offseason for the Phillies with several high-profile players in free agency.

November 10-13: MLB Awards week

The Phillies likely won’t have any winners, but they have three finalists, including two likely runners-up. Rookies of the Year is announced Nov. 10, Managers of the Year Nov. 11, Cy Youngs Nov. 12 and MVPs Nov. 13.

November 10-13: General Manager Meetings

The 30 front offices will gather in Las Vegas to discuss early offseason business. Teams see this as an opportunity to lay the foundation for future transactions. Dombrowski and the 29 other head of baseball operations will speak to the media at this gathering.

November 18 at 4 p.m. ET: QO acceptance deadline

This is the deadline for players to accept their QO. Schwarber and Suárez won’t, again, but it could be worth monitoring around the league to see which potential Phillies targets decline theirs and thus have the loss of a draft pick attached to them as free agents.

November 18: Rule 5 Draft protection

This is the deadline for teams to add players to their 40-man roster and protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. Andrew Painter will be one addition.

November 21: Non-tender deadline

This is the deadline for players to tender contracts to their pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players. Could a Phillies regular be non-tendered?

December 7-10: Winter Meetings

Almost a month after the General Manager Meetings is the far more interesting gathering: the Winter Meetings in Orlando. This is when things kick into full gear. The Phillies signed Trea Turner during the 2022 Winter Meetings.

December 10: Rule 5 Draft

This is when players who were signed at 18 or younger who haven’t been added to the 40-man within five seasons, or players signed at 19 and older who’ve gone without for four seasons, can be selected by new teams. Those teams must keep Rule 5 selections on their 26-man roster all season lest they lose them back to the original team. Remember Noah Song? OK, fine … Shane Victorino?

January 9: Arbitration figures exchanged

Teams and players can still meet in the middle to avoid arbitration after Jan. 9, but this is when they need to exchange figures. Those who don’t avoid arbitration will have their hearings between Jan. 26 and Feb. 20.

February 21 and 22: Spring opener; Spring home opener

Against the Blue Jays in Dunedin; against the Pirates in Clearwater.

March 4: Phillies vs. Canada

The Phillies will host Team Canada in Clearwater the day before the start of the …

March 5-17: World Baseball Classic

San Juan, Tokyo, Houston (with Team U.S.’s Pool B) and Miami will host.

March 26: Opening Day

Game 1 of 162, home against the Rangers.