Samardzija gets qualifying offer from White Sox

Despite stumbling through a brutal 2015 campaign, impending free agent Jeff Samardzija received a $15.8-million qualifying offer from the Chicago White Sox on Friday, guaranteeing the club draft-pick compensation if the right-hander signs elsewhere this winter.

If Samardzija rejects the offer - he has one week to decide - the White Sox will receive a compensatory pick in the 2016 draft, between the first and second rounds, while the team that acquires the 30-year-old will forfeit their first unprotected pick in the draft.

No player has accepted a qualifying offer, however, since this system of compensation was introduced in 2012, though Samardzija may be inclined to take the one-year deal after managing a 4.96 ERA (79 ERA+) with a 1.29 WHIP over 32 starts in 2015.

Samardzija, an All-Star in 2014, also allowed the most hits (228) and home runs (29) in the American League this season, while posting his worst strikeout rate (17.9 percent) since 2010, when he threw 19 1/3 innings for the Chicago Cubs.