By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia Phillies have an interesting decision to make with free-agent-to-be Jeremy Hellickson this off-season, one that wasn't made easier Thursday.
According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the MLB does plan to keep the qualifying offer into their next collective bargaining agreement, and it will be worth over $17 million this off-season:
Source: Qualifying offer this off-season will be $17.2M. System expected to remain in place in new CBA, with possible adjustments.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 13, 2016
Though the MLB's current CBA is set to expire in prior to the end of the year, it seems likely that the league and player's association will come to a new agreement, one that will continue to include the qualifying offer.
Perhaps the most noteworthy part of Rosenthal's report is the number of $17.2 million. ESPN's Buster Olney had suggested prior to the league's non-waiver trade deadline that the number was expected to be around $16.7 million, a full half million less than what Rosenthal is reporting.
This news is especially pertinent to the Phillies this off-season considering that if they can't reach an extension with Hellickson they will have to consider extending the qualifying offer. At that price, Hellickson may considering accepting the offer rather than testing the free-agent market, which would mean the Phillies would pay him a very high clip for another rental season, which may make some sense given the youth of their rotation.
Of course, Hellickson could still turn down the large qualifying offer in hopes of landing a lucrative multi-year deal, but it may be hard for him to get that if perspective suitors know they will have to give up a compensatory pick to sign him.
Considering he's only 30, and seemingly liked playing in Philadelphia, it seems possible this news will push him into accepting the qualifying offer, allowing him to make more than he ever will for a year, knowing that his value on the open market at this time next year might not be very different.
A "rival executive" didn't seem to think the Phillies extending a qualifying offer to Hellickson this off-season made sense when talking to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball, though it's fair to wonder what motivated him to say that.
