SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Royals did not extend qualifying offers to either designated hitter Kendrys Morales or right-hander Edinson Vólquez before Monday's 4 p.m. CT deadline.
The qualifying offer is a one-year, $17.2 million deal. If extended, the offering club receives a compensatory Draft pick if the player signs with another team.
Last week both players each rejected their side of mutual options for 2017. Therefore, Volquez will receive a $3 million buyout and Morales will get $1.5 million.
The Royals still can sign either Volquez or Morales, and there may be some interest in doing so with Morales.
Morales, 33, won the Silver Slugger award in 2015, and after a slow start to 2016 wound up slashing at .263/.327/.468 with 30 home runs and 93 RBIs.

If the Royals do not re-sign Morales, they may rotate their DH spot among several players. Rookie Cheslor Cuthbert filled in admirably for injured third baseman Mike Moustakas this season and doesn't have a guaranteed spot on the 2017 roster with Moustakas coming back. But Cuthbert, who is out of options, could be a partial solution at DH.
Volquez, 33, is coming off his worst season since 2013. Volquez went 10-11 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.548 WHIP.