So, you’ve been scrolling through baseball Twitter or lurking in a Discord chat and suddenly you see someone drop the phrase “tendered contracts”. What the heck does that even mean? Is it an old-timey way of saying “offered a deal,” or did someone just invent baseball jargon to confuse us? Strap in, because we’re diving deep into what tendered contracts mean in baseball, breaking it down so that next time you hear it, you’ll sound like an MLB insider. ⚾️
What Does Tendered Contracts Mean In Baseball?
At its core, when a player is “tendered a contract” in baseball, it means the team has officially offered that player a contract for the upcoming season. This usually happens during the non-tender deadline period, typically in early December. If the team chooses to “tender” the player a contract, they retain the rights to that player—often for salary arbitration negotiation. If they don’t tender a contract? Well, that player becomes a free agent, free to sign with any team.
In more casual or slangy terms, “tendered contracts” often just shorthand for “the team is keeping this player for next year and is willing to pay up (or at least negotiate).”
Origin Of The Term: Where Did “Tendered Contracts” Come From?
The phrase itself comes from the legal definition of “tender,” which means offering something formally. In baseball lingo, it’s basically the team “formally offering” a contract to a player before the tender deadline. This stems from the collective bargaining agreements and the arbitration system MLB uses.
In practice, the term started gaining traction among fans and analysts as a short way to announce player status updates during the offseason. Instead of saying “The Mariners offered J.P. Crawford a contract,” they say, “J.P. Crawford was tendered by the Mariners.” It’s crisp, efficient, and sounds way cooler.
How To Use “Tendered Contracts” Like A Pro
Want to sprinkle some baseball wit into your chats? Here’s how you can use the term without sounding like you’re reading from a contract lawyer’s handbook:
- When a player stays: “Looks like the Red Sox tendered Xander Bogaerts’ contract for next year.”
- When a player is cut loose: “The Cubs non-tendered Kyle Schwarber and now he’s a free agent.”
- Teasing friends: “Bro, if you don’t pay up by next year, you’re getting non-tendered 😂.”
And FYI, you can also use it ironically or in memes:
DM snippet:
Friend 1: “You finally pay me back?”
Friend 2: “Sorry, I’m non-tendering your debt lol.” 😂
Funny Ways “Tendered Contracts” Pops Up Online
The baseball fan community on Twitter, Reddit, and Discord loves to have fun with the complexity of the MLB contract system, and “tendered contracts” is no exception.
For example, imagine a player has a bad season and fans jokingly say:
“He got tendered AGAIN?! Who’s signing off on this contract—was the dog in charge?” 🐶
Or meme-heavy takes like:
“When you’re tendered a contract but you still don’t show up to practice.” followed by an image of a very confused dog or distracted boyfriend meme.
Then there’s Discord servers where someone will jokingly announce:
“Breaking: [Insert random player] tendered by your mom’s baseball team.”
I mean, who doesn’t love mixing formal baseball language with goofy internet humor?
Top 5 Quick Do’s & Don’ts For Using “Tendered Contracts” In Chats
- Do use the term when talking about offseason player moves.
- Don’t say “tendered contracts” for every contract—it’s mostly for arbitration-eligible or non-tender decisions.
- Do sprinkle it in your fantasy baseball convos to sound smarter.
- Don’t abuse it in casual convos with non-baseball friends—be ready to explain! 😅
- Do make memes out of it if you’re feeling spicy.
Final Pitch: Why Knowing This Matters
Understanding what tendered contracts mean in baseball isn’t just about sounding smart at your next fantasy league draft or baseball watch party. It helps you decode that avalanche of offseason news and rumors. Plus, it’s just plain fun to flex some insider knowledge and meme-ready slang.
So next time you’re scrolling through a hot-take tweet or a chat group saying “player X was tendered,” you’ll know exactly what’s up—and maybe crack a joke or two about who’s getting non-tendered next. Now, that’s a contract worth signing! 😉
