Hamilton, Soriano among eight to reject qualifying offers

All eight players who were extended one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offers from their current teams declined the contracts and became free agents at 5 p.m. ET Friday.

Under new terms of Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement, teams were permitted to make one-year qualifying offers for the average of the previous season's 125 top salaries, which is $13.3 million.

If the player sign with another team, draft pick compensation is owed to his former team.

All eight players rejected the one-year deals and can openly shop their services in free agency, including Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, Braves outfielder Michael Bourn, Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, Rays outfielder B.J. Upton, Yankees pitchers Rafael Soriano and Hiroki Kuroda, Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche and Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse.

Well before Friday's deadline, David Ortiz received the qualifying offer from the Boston Red Sox, but reached agreement on a two-year contract and thereby was not required to formally reject the team's initial proposal.