After he opted out of his contract with the Chicago Cubs, the door was opened to outfielder Dexter Fowler exploring free agency, and he took the final step in that direction on Monday afternoon.

Fowler, who batted lead-off for the Cubs and was a vital cog in the team’s offense, declined the team’s $17.2 million qualifying offer on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent. Seven other MLB players also declined their options on Monday as the free agent period gets underway in earnest.

Thanks to the qualifying offer the Cubs' extended to Fowler, they will get a draft pick back as compensation if he signs a contract with another team, as the St. Louis Cardinals are rumored to be one of the clubs looking to secure his services.

After spending the 2015 offseason looking for a new home, Fowler surprised Cubs fans and executives alike by rejoining the team early in spring training in 2016, and he promptly found himself in a very good situation. The outfielder’s defense improved by leaps and bounds in 2016, and his offense was great as well as he clubbed 13 home runs and drove in 48 RBI for the eventual World Series champions.

With Fowler potentially out of the picture and reportedly looking for a four-year contract, the Cubs could go in a number of directions with their center field spot. There are potentially trade options available, but if the team decides to stay in house, then players like Albert Almora Jr., Jason Heyward, and even Javier Baez could be on the short list of candidates to fill the big shoes that Fowler is leaving behind on the north side.