Mere hours from the start of free agency, here's a look at what happened around baseball on Friday. Most notably, Friday was the deadline for teams to make qualifying offers -- i.e., a one-year offer worth $15.8 million for 2016 -- to pending free agents. Teams that don't make qualifying offers don't get any compensatory draft picks with that free agent signs elsewhere. In all, 20 pending free agents were extended qualifying offers ...
Received qualifying offer
Astros: OF Colby Rasmus
Blue Jays: SP Marco Estrada
Cardinals: OF Jason Heyward, SP John Lackey
Cubs: CF Dexter Fowler
Dodgers: SP Zack Greinke, 2B Howie Kendrick, SP Brett Anderson
Mariners: SP Hisashi Iwakuma
Mets: 2B Daniel Murphy
Nationals: SP Jordan Zimmermann, SS Ian Desmond
Orioles: C Matt Wieters, 1B Chris Davis, SP Wei-Yin Chen
Padres: SP Ian Kennedy, OF Justin Upton
Rangers: SP Yovani Gallardo
Royals: OF Alex Gordon
White Sox: SP Jeff Samardzija
Among those not receiving a qualifying offer were Denard Span and Doug Fister of the Nationals and David Freese of the Angels.
Rumors & speculationByung-ho Park: The Nexen Heroes have reportedly accepted a $12.85-million posting fee for the right to negotiate with the slugging first baseman from Korea. It's not yet known which MLB team won the bidding. (Naver Sports)
Dodgers: Will reportedly interview Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez for their managerial vacancy. (Gordon Wittenmeyer, Chicago Sun-Times)
Transactions
Angels: Declined their $5-million option on OF David DeJesus. Instead, DeJesus receives a $1-million buyout.
Athletics: Claimed OF Andrew Lambo off waivers from the Pirates.
Cubs: Claimed P Ryan Cook off waivers from the Red Sox.
Diamondbacks: Outrighted SP Jhoulys Chacin, who subsequently opted to become a free agent.
Dodgers: Declined team options on SP Bronson Arroyo, RP Joel Peralta, and INF Chase Utley.
Red Sox: Outrighted 1B/OF Allen Craig and RPs Jean Machi and Alexi Ogando.