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The 2015 Major League Baseball season is all but in the books for the Detroit Tigers -- they play their 161st and final game of the season on Sunday afternoon -- and now begins a busy offseason. General manager Al Avila will begin the process of rebooting the roster in an effort to return the team to contender status before the 2016 season begins. But before Opening Day, there are several important dates and time frames along the way that will dictate how and when important decisions are made. Here is a look at the upcoming offseason calendar.
October 4: Last day of the 2015 regular season
October 5: Tiebreaker games, if necessary
October 6-November 4: MLB playoffs (World Series Game 7 on Nov. 4, if necessary)
COMPLETE MLB PLAYOFF SCHEDULE HERE
Five days after World Series: Last day to exercise a player option for 2016. Detroit will likely buy out Joe Nathan's $1 million contract option.
Five days after World Series: Deadline for teams to make qualifying offers to their free agent players. Alex Avila, Rajai Davis, Tom Gorzelanny, Alfredo Simon, and Randy Wolf are the Tigers' free agents. No qualifying offers will be made.
12 days after World Series: Deadline for free agents to accept qualifying offers
November 9-12: General Manager meetings in Boca Raton, Florida
November 9-12: 2015 American and National league Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young, and Most Valuable Player Awards are announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
November 20: Last day to submit 40 man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 draft
December 2: Last day for teams to offer 2016 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. Arbitration-eligible players are often non-tendered by or before this date. Detroit has a decision to make on Neftali Feliz.
December 7-10: Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee
December 10: Rule 5 draft in Nashville, Tennessee
January 12, 2016: Salary arbitration filing date for teams and players. Feliz, Andrew Romine, Jose Iglesias, Al Alburquerque, Josh Wilson, J.D. Martinez are eligible for arbitration.
January 15: Salary arbitration figures exchanged
February 1-21: Salary arbitration hearings
February 18: Voluntary reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players
February 23: Voluntary reporting date for position players
March 1: Mandatory reporting date for all players
March 2: Tigers vs. Florida Southern
March 3: First official Grapefruit League game, Tigers vs. Orioles in Lakeland, Florida
March 16: Last day to release a player and pay 30 days termination pay (1/6th salary) instead of 45 days
March 30: Last day to release a player without having to pay his full 2016 salary
April 3: MLB Opening Night — Teams to be announced
April 4: MLB Opening Day — 26 teams begin the 2016 season