what does it mean when a player is designated for assignment

What is Designated for Assignment (DFA) Mean in Baseball?

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Of all the distinctive terms used in Major League Baseball, “Designated for assignment” must be near the top of the list for the hardest to explain to new fans. When a player is declared this, often stated as “He was DFA’d,” what exactly does it mean?

Designated for assignment refers to a player’s contract, and it means the team will immediately remove that player from its 40-man roster. For MLB fans, it means you will no longer be seeing that player on that team, at least for a decent spell.

Typically MLB teams do this to clear space for another move, or simply to rid a player from the squad entirely.

Once a player is officially DFA’d, a 7-day period begins, where the club must make a decision about the next destination for that player. In other words, it’s a way for baseball teams to put a player in temporary limbo while they try to figure out their roster situation.

During the 7-day period, that player can be sent to one of the team’s minor league affiliates; traded to another team; or placed on waivers, a list of players for other teams to acquire (under certain rules).

Basically, when you see this term attached to a player, that person is being moved off the regular MLB team at least for the time being. Sometimes, though not often, they are returned to their original team.

Baseball Club Options with Players Designated for Assignment

Once a player is DFA’d, the clock starts for the club to pick an option for that player’s immediate future. Those options are:

• Assign the player to one of a minor league team affiliated with the club. (This is not available for all players; see Common Questions at bottom).
• Place the player on the Waiver Wire . This move begins another type of clock ~ where other teams can take the player, under the league’s waiver rules.

2B. If the player on the waiver wire is claimed, his new team must immediately put him on their 40-man roster.

2C. If the player, over a specified period of time, is unclaimed from waivers, he can be assigned to his previous team’s minor league system. Unless: The player has enough service time in the major leagues, or has run out of minor league options (See below), in which case he becomes a free agent who can sign a contract with any team.

• The player could be released from his contract, that is, set entirely free to go play with any other team. In such instances, the club is responsible for paying the player according to the terms of their contract together.

Types of Rosters in Major League Baseball

All this talk assumes fans know what a 40-man roster is ~ and it’s not just the list of players the current MLB team can use for games. That would be the 26-man roster.

Here’s a breakdown of the 2 types of MLB rosters, which are essentially lists of their players who either can be used in games (26-man), or who are in line to play in games in the near future as well (40-man).

26-Man Roster in MLB

The 26-man roster (or 24- or 25-man rosters in seasons past) is for players available to participate in MLB game play. Players not on the 26-man roster, such as those on injured lists, or in the minor leagues, cannot be entered into an MLB game.

So, MLB teams cannot just sign anyone off the street and instantly insert them into a game. Well, maybe not instantaneously, but at least a full day. However, even that would involve some juggling of personnel, as noted in this article.

40-Man Roster in MLB

A club’s 40-man roster is filled by a combination of players on the 26-man roster; along with players on various injured lists (7-, 10-, and 15-day injured lists); on an emergency list for bereavement or a family medical emergency; and some minor league players.

All players on a 26-man roster are also on the 40-man roster. That leaves a club 14 spots to manage all year long ~ and not just during the regular season.

The 40-man roster is important to watch during the offseason , as all those players are protected from other teams “taking” them in what’s called the Rule 5 Draft, held at the end of every year during the MLB’s Winter Meetings.

Notes on the Rule 5 Draft in Major League Baseball

Since 1920, the Rule 5 Draft has given minor league players opportunities with new MLB clubs ~ if their original club did not protect them from this draft by keeping them on the 40-man roster.

The way it works is, clubs with a spot open on their own 40-man roster select players not on 40-man rosters of the other clubs. This ends up like the regular MLB draft, with teams selecting in reverse order of the standings the previous season.

Players are eligible for selection if they are not on their team’s 40-man roster at the time of the draft, and they have either spent 4 seasons in professional baseball after signing at age 19 or older; or spent 5 seasons in pro ball after signing at age 18 or younger.

Even when drafting an eligible player, it’s not over. The new team pays the player’s previous club $100,000, places the player on its 40-man roster, AND then must keep the player on the 26-man roster for the entire next season.

This last requirement makes selecting other team’s unprotected minor league players a true challenge, as they do not yet know if that player will succeed at the major league level. If not, the team pretty much loses a roster spot through season’s end, filled by a player who can hardly contribute.

If the new club takes that player off the 26-man roster, however, it has to offer to return him to his previous team for $50,000.

Perhaps the most famous Rule 5 case was that of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 19 and buried on their Montreal, Canada minor league team, where he got all of 155 at bats .

That didn’t fool Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who that winter selected Clemente in the Rule 5 Draft ~ and then had to keep him on the roster that next season even as he struggled as a young foreign player competing at the game’s highest level.

Eventually the Puerto Rican hero came around, and became one of the best outfielders of all time.

Why Does ‘Designated for Assignment’ in Baseball Have to be So Complicated?

This all may seem confusing, but this system of using players in MLB game play, and also having extra players in case of injuries or emergencies, has evolved with the game. It’s a necessary structure that MLB clubs agree to abide by, for a lot of reasons, avoiding mayhem among them.

When a new fan sees these types of terms, usually in the agate type or side notes in sports sections, or sometimes added to the end of game news reports, they should consider just how hard it is to field a professional baseball team on a near-daily basis.

Baseball might look leisurely to play, but in reality the players exert parts of their body quite extensively ~ in some instances beyond what they are capable of naturally. A summary of a baseball player’s body that could force him off the field at any time:

• Arms . This includes shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers ~ all essential for baseball players to compete at all. The shoulders and elbows, in particular, are punished by the act of throwing a 5-ounce ball repeatedly over extended periods of time.
• Legs . Baseball is not a game of constant motion like the other major team sports. There is a lot of very instant starting, and quick stopping, which puts a lot of pressure on the tendons, ligaments, and joints of the legs. Knees and ankles give baseball players trouble, due to the starting-stopping, plus a lot of twisting involved in hitting and throwing.
• Core . This includes the abdomen, hips, and upper thighs. Probably more than the other major team sports, baseball is very tough on the middle of the body , mainly due to all the twisting. Batting, in particular, requires a tremendous twist of the torso to get the bat through the hitting zone, which can impact many muscle groups, as well as the spine.
• Back . Baseball players are susceptible to back injuries, mainly due to either overextending, or under-stretching. Often it’s a combination of both.

Add to all that the mental aspect of living life (e.g. having a wife and family) while away from home for weeks at a time, and the constant stress of having to perform well to remain in the game (and make more money). All the games, practices, stress, travel, loneliness, and more, can take a toll on any ballplayer.

In summary, any of these body (and mind) areas can take a baseball player out of service, maybe just for a few days, or a few weeks, or even many months. You can tell how often players get hurt by the MLB’s types of injured lists: the 7-day, 15-day, and 60-day injured list.

Roster Management in Baseball

All this gets us to the people responsible for getting the best players possible on the field during any MLB game. It’s not as simple as sending out the same 9 guys day in and day out. Pitchers in particular cannot pitch every single day, so extra pitchers must be brought along.

Some players might hurt a body part, but not in a major way, so all they need is a bit of rest. In these instances, pro baseball teams need a bench full of replacement players waiting to get in the game.

There’s also some competitive strategy involved. Baseball clubs can make changes to their roster daily, so if they foresee a problem upcoming, they can make roster changes to address it. Examples:

• Lengthy road trips . A club seeing a long stretch of games away from home might carry an extra pitcher just for that period. When they return home, they might send that extra pitcher back to the high minor leagues.
• Opposition strengths and weaknesses. The MLB regular-season schedule can be quirky, and sometimes teams play the same squads, or groups of them (e.g. from the same division), repeatedly over a short period. Maybe a club manager sees a group of upcoming games where every team has a lot of left-handed pitchers. Then, he may choose to swap out left-handed hitters, and add in more righties, just for that period of time.

In other words, the managers (and general managers) of MLB teams are constantly tinkering with their rosters, for a lot of reasons. Terms like DFA exist to add structure to all of this, in an attempt to ensure fairness for all the clubs, and avoid anarchy.

In summary, the designated for assignment system exists so MLB teams can add a newly acquired player onto their roster ~ through a free agent signing, a trade, a waiver wire grab, or to pull a player up from a minor league team; or to address players bouncing between the injured lists.

Whenever a player is getting healthy enough to return, fans usually get quite excited. But understand, for every player returning to play, another is forced to leave.

Common Questions

Question: what is the difference between being designated for assign and being “optioned”.

Answer: Remaining on the 40-man roster, or not. To be optioned means a player on the 40-man roster is moved to an “optional assignment” with one of the club’s minor league affiliates. An “option” is good for an entire season; and players only get so many options before clubs can no longer send them to a minor league team for roster management purposes. With DFA, if a player has an option remaining, that is something the club could choose to do in the 7-day “decision” period.

Q.: Why do teams only get 7 days to decide what to do with DFA’d players?

A.: It’s according to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which is the operating structure of the MLB between clubs and players. This period is adjusted periodically upon agreement of a majority of owners and the players. For instance, in the CBA of 2012-16, the period was 10 days.

Force out: What happens to players who are designated for assignment?

This has been a big year for one of baseball's most mundane transactions.

From Hanley Ramirez to Matt Harvey, from Phil Hughes to Melky Cabrera, from Adrian Gonzalez to Pedro Alvarez, there may never have been a season with more big names listed in the depths of the newspaper agate pages under those three cruel words: Designated for assignment.

When a team decides to DFA a player, he's taken off the 40-man roster immediately, and the team has seven days - a change this season, as previously it was 10 days - to trade him, send him outright to the minor leagues after he clears waivers, or release him. That is what happens from an official standpoint, but it's easy to forget that there is an actual person whose life is turned upside down when the DFA comes.

Imagine being a professional baseball player, but all of a sudden you have nowhere to play baseball. What do you do?

"It's a complete case-by-case basis," said Angels outfielder Chris Young, who was DFA'd by the Mets in August of 2014, then released before signing with the Yankees and rejuvenating his career.

"I went home, continued to work out and hit, and then I got the phone call from the Yankees. You don't know anything. I didn't know anything. I was just hopeful that another opportunity would come my way, and when it did, try to take advantage of it."

Young makes it sound fairly simple, but just going home and working out to stay in game shape is a challenge. If and when another team comes calling, the opportunity to make an impression can be fleeting.

The best way to prepare for that would be to head to the organization's minor league facility, hit the gym, and get some reps on the field with minor leaguers. When a player is designated for assignment, though, that is not an option - even if the team's plan is for an outright assignment to the minors. During that week, the player is not part of the team, but also not free.

"You're in limbo," said former Cubs infielder Jeff Huson, now a Rockies broadcaster, remembering when he was designated for assignment in 1996 by the Orioles . "You either go home, or you stay in the city for a few days. In my case, I waited around for a few days because I got DFA'd by Baltimore, and I stayed there because I didn't want to go home, because what if it's an East Coast team that claims me? Then I'd have to go all the way back.

"You literally sit there not knowing what your future's gonna hold. It's the worst possible case for a player, because you have no home, and you're trying to stay in shape - where do you go? You maybe go to a high school field? Play some video games and the quarters you have left over, go in the cage? Think about playing in a major-league game, then going to some warehouse and hitting off a machine, or even if you can find somebody to throw to you, they're not going to be as good as what you get in the major leagues.”

At the same time that physical challenge is foisted upon a player, there's also the mental one. It's not just the potential ennui of being without a team, but of having been cut from a 40-man roster. How a player handles that can have a lot to do with what happens next, and seizing that opportunity.

"I never took it as anything bad or looked too far into it when all I could do was just keep working on stuff," said Yankees reliever A.J. Cole, who had a 13.06 ERA when the Nationals designated him for assignment in April, and has posted a 0.69 mark in seven appearances with New York since a trade for cash considerations. "I needed to keep doing what I need to do as a pitcher.

"Everyone says it's always good to get a good start in a different place, and sometimes it is. Right now, it's really helping me, and there's some great guys here that help me out. It's a fun place to play here."

Not every player gets to land with a team as good as this year's Yankees, but there can be positives in other ways. Cubs catcher Chris Gimenez has been DFA'd four times in his career, thrice during the season. His experiences have varied from heading to the minors - "once you decide to accept the assignment, you're champing at the bit to get there" - to being traded to a Cleveland team in 2016 that wound up going to the World Series.

That was Gimenez's third time with Cleveland, having made his debut there in 2009, with stops in Seattle , Tampa Bay , and Texas before returning to Ohio in 2014.

"That was the one that kind of sticks with me," Gimenez said. "In that case, it worked out good, because my wife was basically ready to have our second son. We had two times where we went into the hospital and nothing happened, and that kind of gave me an extra three days. The terrible thing was, we were building our house where we live now, so we were staying with her parents, and our 3-year-old son, at the time, was there. It was a little bit of a crowded spot, and I appreciate her parents letting us stay there, because it wasn't the original plan the way everything happened.

"I ended up spending six days at home - three on the paternity leave, and three after I (was designated for assignment). Then I got the next flight to Texas, and ended up coming home like four days after that anyway - I got traded, was there for a day, then my wife had our son. It was a lot of travel for a few days, but that's alright.

"Every possible way that could've happened to me, it's happened in my career, but that's how it goes, and you can either let it affect you, or just suck it up and go about your business."

Jesse Spector is the sports business columnist for Dealbreaker, a columnist for Rockies Magazine, the host of "Jesse Spector Is..." on Lightning Power Play Radio, and one of the hosts of the Locked On Yankees podcast. He previously was the national baseball and hockey writer for Sporting News, covered the New York Rangers for the Daily News, and worked for SportsTicker, the Associated Press, and the Brooklyn Eagle. He lives in New York.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Understanding DFA in Baseball: Implications, Options, and Opportunities

Have you ever heard the term “DFA” in baseball and wondered what it meant? Well, you’re not alone. DFA stands for “Designated for Assignment,” and it’s a term used when a team removes a player from its 40-man roster. But what does that really mean? In this article, I’ll break down the ins and outs of DFA in baseball, explaining why teams use it and what happens to players who are designated for assignment.

When a player is DFA’d, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of their career. In fact, it’s often just the beginning of a new chapter. Being designated for assignment gives the team a few options – they can trade the player, release them, or send them to the minor leagues if they clear waivers. It’s a strategic move that teams make to free up roster spots or to give struggling players a chance to work on their skills without taking up a valuable spot on the active roster. So, let’s dive deeper into the world of DFA in baseball and explore its significance in the game.

Key Takeaways

• DFA stands for “Designated for Assignment” in baseball, which is when a player is removed from a team’s 40-man roster.
• Being DFA’d doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a player’s career; the team has options like trading, releasing, or sending them to the minor leagues if they clear waivers.
• DFA is a strategic move used by teams to free up roster spots or give struggling players a chance to work on their skills.
• Some players have found success after being DFA’d, using it as a turning point in their career to make improvements and prove themselves once again.
• Teams use DFA to effectively manage their roster, evaluate player performance, provide opportunities for improvement, and explore potential trades.
• Options for players designated for assignment include trading, releasing, sending them to the minor leagues, or reinstating them to the roster.
• DFA represents a pivotal point in a player’s career, where their future with the team is uncertain but opens up possibilities for growth and positive change.

What is DFA in Baseball?

Designated for Assignment (DFA) is a term commonly used in baseball when a player is removed from a team’s 40-man roster. It’s a strategic move made by teams to either free up roster spots or give struggling players a chance to improve their skills. But what exactly does it mean?

When a player is DFA’d, it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of their career. The team has several options at this point. They can choose to trade the player to another team, release them from their contract, or send them to the minor leagues if they clear waivers.

DFA is a valuable tool for teams as it allows them to make necessary adjustments to their roster. It’s often used when a team needs to make room for a new addition or when a player is underperforming and the team wants to give them an opportunity to work on their skills in a less pressurized environment.

It’s important to note that being DFA’d can be a challenging and uncertain time for players. It puts their career in limbo as they wait to see what the team’s decision will be. However, some players have gone on to find success after being DFA’d, using it as a turning point in their career to make improvements and prove themselves once again.

So, while DFA may signify a player’s removal from a team’s roster, it’s not the end of the road for their baseball career. It’s an opportunity for them to reassess, improve, and potentially find success with another team.

The Meaning of DFA

When it comes to baseball, there are often terms and acronyms that can leave fans scratching their heads. One such acronym is DFA, which stands for “Designated for Assignment.” But what exactly does DFA mean?

DFA is a term used when a player is being removed from a team’s 40-man roster. It’s important to note that being DFA’d does not necessarily mean the end of a player’s career. In fact, it’s just the beginning of a new chapter for them.

When a player is DFA’d, the team typically has a few options. They can trade the player to another team, release them, or send them to the minor leagues if they clear waivers. These options give the player a chance to continue their career elsewhere or to work on their skills and make a comeback.

So why do teams use the DFA process? There are a few reasons. One common reason is to free up roster spots. When a team needs to make room for a new player, they may choose to DFA someone who is underperforming or no longer fits into their plans. DFA is a strategic move that allows teams to make necessary adjustments to their roster and improve their chances of success.

Being DFA’d can be a challenging and uncertain time for players. It’s a moment where they have to prove themselves or face the possibility of being released from the team. However, some players have used DFA as a turning point in their careers. They have taken the opportunity to make improvements, work on their skills, and prove themselves once again.

In the world of baseball, DFA may seem like a harsh term, but it’s an essential tool for teams to make adjustments and give struggling players a chance to improve. Rather than the end, DFA is often the beginning of a new chapter for players, where they can redefine themselves and find success once again.

Why Teams use DFA

Teams in baseball use the DFA (Designated for Assignment) process for a variety of reasons. Let’s explore why this strategic move is employed by teams and why it’s such a valuable tool in shaping rosters.

• Roster management : One of the main reasons teams use DFA is to manage their roster effectively. In baseball, teams have a limited number of spots on their 40-man roster. By using DFA, teams can free up roster spots to make room for new acquisitions or to activate players coming off the injured list.
• Performance evaluation : DFA allows teams to evaluate players’ performance objectively. If a player is struggling and not living up to expectations, the team can designate them for assignment to give them an opportunity to work on their skills in the minor leagues or explore other options. It also gives the team a chance to bring in new talent that might better contribute to their success.
• Opportunity for improvement : Being DFA’d might be seen as a setback for the player, but it can also serve as a turning point in their career. For struggling players, being designated for assignment gives them the chance to refocus, make improvements, and prove themselves once again. Some players have used this as an opportunity to make necessary adjustments, develop new skills, and come back stronger.
• Trade potential : The DFA process can also lead to potential trades. When a player is designated for assignment, other teams have the opportunity to claim them off waivers. If a team sees value in the player, they might trade for them instead of letting them go. This not only benefits the team by acquiring assets but also provides the DFA’d player with a fresh start in a new organization.

Through DFA, teams can manage their rosters more efficiently, evaluate player performance objectively, provide opportunities for improvement, and explore potential trades. While the DFA process can be challenging for the player involved, it serves as a valuable tool for teams to make necessary adjustments and shape their roster for success. Keep reading to learn what happens to players after being designated for assignment.

Options for Players Designated for Assignment

When a player is designated for assignment (DFA), it doesn’t necessarily mean that their career is over. Teams have several options for dealing with players who have been DFA’d, depending on their unique circumstances. In this section, I will explore these options and shed light on what they mean for the players involved.

• Trading the Player : One option teams have after designating a player for assignment is to trade them to another team. This can happen if another team sees value in the player and is willing to give up something in return. Trading a player can benefit both teams by allowing the player to get a fresh start elsewhere and providing the team that designated them with additional resources or prospects.
• Releasing the Player : If a player is not traded within a designated timeframe, the team may choose to release them. This means that the player becomes a free agent and can sign with any team willing to offer them a contract. Releasing a player is a decision made when the team believes that there is no trade interest or when they want to give the player the opportunity to explore other options.
• Sending the Player to the Minor Leagues : Sometimes, instead of immediately being released or traded, a player who has been designated for assignment may be sent to the minor leagues if they clear waivers. This allows the player to continue playing and working on their skills while giving the team more time to evaluate their performance and potential.
• Reinstating the Player : In some cases, a player who has been designated for assignment may actually be reinstated to the team’s 40-man roster. This can happen if the team decides to reverse their decision and give the player another chance. This option is typically rare and is often based on the circumstances surrounding the player’s initial DFA.

It is important to note that each of these options has different implications for the player’s career and future in baseball. While being designated for assignment can be a challenging and uncertain time for players, it can also serve as an opportunity for improvement and a fresh start. In the next section, I’ll discuss how some players have used the DFA process as a catalyst for their success.

The Significance of DFA in Baseball

Designated for Assignment (DFA) is a crucial term in the world of baseball. It signifies a pivotal point in a player’s career, where their future with the team is uncertain. Let’s delve into the significance of DFA and its implications.

When and Why is a Player DFA’d?

Teams designate a player for assignment when they need to make room on their active roster for a new addition, typically from the minor leagues or through a trade. Players can also be DFA’d if they are underperforming, injured, or no longer fitting into the team’s long-term plans.

An Opportunity for Change

While being DFA’d can be disheartening for players, it can also represent an opportunity for growth and improvement. The designation opens up possibilities for a fresh start, whether it’s with a new team or within the organization itself.

DFA: A Player’s Options

After a player is DFA’d, a variety of options become available to them, each with its own implications for their career:

• Trading : If a player is attractive to other teams, they may be traded to a new organization, giving them a chance to continue their career elsewhere and potentially thrive in a different environment.
• Clearing Waivers : When a player is placed on waivers, other teams have the opportunity to claim them. If no team claims the player within a designated timeframe, they can be sent outright to the minor leagues if they have remaining options.
• Reinstatement : In some cases, a team may choose to remove a player from DFA status and reinstate them to the 40-man roster. This can happen if the team believes the player still has potential or if they have cleared waivers without any takers.
• Release : If no trade is made or the player doesn’t clear waivers, the team may decide to release the player, effectively ending their tenure with the organization. This provides the player with the opportunity to seek opportunities elsewhere.

The designation for assignment is a significant moment in a player’s baseball journey. It represents a crossroads where their future is uncertain, yet filled with potential for positive change. Whether it’s a chance to be traded, reclaim a spot on the roster, or find a new team, DFA serves as a turning point for players to redefine their careers.

Navigating the world of baseball can be challenging, and being designated for assignment (DFA) is a significant moment in a player’s career. It’s a time when they must face the reality that their current team may no longer see them as a valuable asset. However, being DFA’d shouldn’t be seen as the end of the road.

DFA presents players with an opportunity for growth and improvement. It’s a chance to reflect on their performance and make necessary adjustments. Whether they are traded to another team, sent to the minor leagues, reinstated to the team’s roster, or released, each option opens up new possibilities.

While being DFA’d can be disheartening, it’s important for players to remember that it’s not the end of their careers. Instead, it’s a turning point that allows them to redefine their paths and seek new opportunities. With determination and a willingness to adapt, players can bounce back and make a comeback.

In the world of baseball, DFA represents a moment of change. It’s a time when players must reassess their skills, mindset, and goals. By embracing the challenges and seizing the opportunities that come their way, players can use DFA as a stepping stone towards a brighter future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: what is dfa in baseball.

A: DFA stands for designated for assignment. It happens when a team needs to remove a player from their 40-man roster.

Q: Why would a player be DFA’d?

A: Players might be DFA’d if the team needs to make room on the roster, or if the player is underperforming or no longer fitting into the team’s plans.

Q: What happens to a player after being DFA’d?

A: After being DFA’d, players have several options, including being traded to another team, clearing waivers and being sent to the minor leagues, being reinstated to the team’s 40-man roster, or being released.

Q: What implications does DFA have for a player’s career?

A: Being DFA’d can be disheartening, but it also presents an opportunity for growth and improvement. The chosen option after being DFA’d will determine the player’s future in baseball.

Q: How can DFA be seen as a turning point for players?

A: DFA represents a turning point for players to redefine their careers and seek new opportunities. It’s a chance to make adjustments and potentially find success with a different team or in a different role.

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What Does Designate for Assignment (DFA) mean in Baseball?

Two days ago I was watching a TV show with my son. Actually, I was watching the show, and my son was busy with his iPhone. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he asked me, “Dad, What does DFA mean in Baseball?

My son is a teenager. So, it was not a “My father knows everything” type question. I am a baseball coach, and my Son is a die-hard supporter of the ‘Texas Rangers.’ Most probably, he was reading anything on Chris Gimenez. 

Then I realized I hear this question quite often. That prompted me to write an article on this topic. As I operate a blog on baseball, why not answer the question on the blog? That will help many to know this large but important term of baseball.  

Table of Contents

What does Designate for Assignment (DFA) mean in Major League Baseball?

First thing first, what is the full form of DFA? DFA means Designated for Assignment . When a player falls into this term, the team will immediately remove him from the 40-man roster. However, the team can replace that player with another one to fulfill its 40-player roster.

One crucial thing I should mention, DFA does not mean out-and-out release. Out and out release means permanently releasing a player, but if a player is DFAed, he has the chance to come back into the team.  

Suppose you are completely new in this sector and trying to understand the entire scenario. Don’t be ashamed. I know how it feels when you don’t understand a term and google it because you are ashamed to ask someone about that. So, let’s start with the basics: 

What is the 40-man roster? 

40-man Roster – If you don’t know what does 40 man roster means, then let me clear it for you. In the major league service time, every team can sign 40 players. Among these 40 MLB players, 26 players are active. What happens to the rest 14 players? They play in the minor leagues or stay on the injured list. 

What are Waivers? 

In the previous section, you learned about the 40-man roster. So, now you can understand a team does not require all 40 players for the entire major league service time. Here come waivers handy. 

Waivers give a player to play for any team. If a player gets a waiver, he is unconditionally free, and any team can take him in their team. 

So, now you understand both the term ’40-man roster’ and ‘waiver.’ Now, it will be easy for me to clear the concept of DFA. 

As I stated earlier, when a player is regarded as Designated for Assignment or DFA, he is immediately removed from the 40 man roaster. But that doesn’t make him a free agent. This means a DFAed player is not entirely released from the team. 

The team gets seven days to decide on the fate of the DFAed player. The team can trade the player, can place him on irrevocable outright waivers, or make him a free agent. 

In case of a waiver, if the DFAed player clears waivers, he might be sent to the minors. There are two options in the case of waivers. 

The player must provide his consent before sending to the minors if he has been playing MLB for five or more years. If he does not fall into that category, he will be immediately sent to the minors.

Why a player gets DFA while active in the Major League Service? 

So, now you know what does DFA means in baseball. But what makes a player fall into DFA in the middle of a season? There could be many, but here I will tell you the top four reasons a player gets DFA. 

• If the team wants to move in a minor league player into the team. 
• If a player from the injured list recovers. 
• If the team wants to trade a new player or free agent. 
• If a team wants to clear a spot in the 40-man roster by a player recently added to the team via trade or free agency

Options for a Major League Baseball Team with a DFAed Player 

Now, the most important question. What happens to the player who receives DFA? I have stated earlier a player is not immediately released if he has been DFA.

The team gets seven days to make a decision about the player before he is sent to the minor leagues. 

Here are the things a team can do with the DFAed player within the seven days limit: 

• Take back the player to its 40-player roster
• Most common practice – place the player on a waiver. 
• Trade the player 
• Make the player a free agent 
• Send the player to the minor league (There is a player consent condition which I have stated earlier)

Let’s discuss some of the points in brief so that I don’t have to tell the same thing over and over to all. 

Place the player on waivers 

Placing in the waiver is the most common phenomenon for a DFA player. Though a team gets seven days limit to take any decision about the player, if the team wants to claim the waiver, they have to claim that within three days. 

When a team waves a player, any team can claim him. But what happens when more than one team claims that player? In that case, the team (If the team is in the same league) with the lowest record will claim the player. 

If the occurrence happens during the first month of the season, then the previous year’s standing is considered. 

If no team from the same league claims the player and lower league teams claim, then the team with the highest record will claim the player. 

Trade the player

Trading the player with another team is another option for a team when a player is designated for DFA. 

Sometimes teams imply DFA upon a player to lure a team that is not in a good position in the point table and pursues that team to buy that player.  

For example, Rangers implied DFA on Brian Shouse in May 2006 and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers 4 days later. The rangers didn’t put him in the waiver (remember, three days rule for the waiver?)

Because then 13 more other teams would have claimed for Brian Shouse. And there is another interesting rule called five to ten rules. According to the five to ten rule, if a player has been playing MLB for more than ten years and the last five years for the current team, he can not be traded without consent. 

Release the player

When a DFA player is not traded nor waived, the team has to release him. The player becomes a free agent, and he is free to sign any team in the major league. On an interesting note, he can even sign the team just released him! 

The team that releases him is responsible for the player’s salary, less what he is paid by the team that signs him.

Option a Baseball Player – What does it mean? 

The term “Option” is related to the minor leagues. Let me give you the exact quotation from the baseball glossary

 “An option allows that player to be sent to the Minor Leagues (“optioned”) without first being subjected to waivers.”

If a player is sent to the minor leagues he must clear waiver so that no team can put a waiver claim on that player. 

Here a player is removed from the 26-man roster on which the main team is formed but keeps him in the ultimate 40-man roster. 

If you are a baseball fan, then “sent down to the minors” or “optioned to the minor leagues” should be a familiar term to you. It means the club moves the player to the minors according to the eligibility. 

If a player has 5 or more than 5 years of major league service time, he can be optioned and called back any time. But that is not the case; if the player has less than three years of service. 

If a player with less than three years of service is optioned and sent to the minor leagues, the team can not call him immediately. The team has to wait at least ten days for that player if they want him to play again in the major league.  

This rule is created to prevent constant back and forth major and minor league shuffling of players. 

What Happens When Major League Player is Released?

I talked about this matter in a short scope earlier in this article. But sometimes, I asked this question, the difference between DFA and Release . 

Release completely differs from the term DFA. Release means a player is out of the team, and there is no string attached between the player and the team. 

A Release doesn’t happen in the middle of the season. It often happens in the offseason. It’s because there is a contract issue and that it is better to perform in the offseason. And by the spring training, most teams organize their team and decide which players will be in the roster spot. 

When a team takes a 40-man roster decision, they have to make many decisions. The team management takes the decision on the 40-man roster and decides on the 26-man roster. 

Major DFA incidents in the History of the Major League 

Albert pujols.

The most recent incident of DFA is Albert Pujols which was also very shocking also. When Los Angels declared Alber Pujols designated for assignment in the last season of a 10-year contract .

Albert Pujols was one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the MLB. His highest batting average was .245 in 2016. But since then his form was declining. When he was DFAed, then his average was just .198.   

Though he was one of the greatest players on the team, the team management had to take the tough decision. Angels team president John Carpino said, 

“It never ends the way you want it to. This is baseball, and this is how it happens sometimes.” 

Albert Pujols has won two world series championships and three league MVP awards. He was only the ninth player in the history of MLB to hit 600 career home runs. He was 41 years old when Los Angles took the decision to DFA him. 

Chris Gimenez

Once Texas Rangers catcher Chris Gimenez was DFAed four times in his career. Teams he played for were Seattle mariners, Cleaveland Indians, Oakland Athletic.

He was finally DFAed frim Texas Rangers in 2014, and finally, Minnesota twins DFA him. He played in the minors and became a free agent a number of times. I was personally a fan of Chriz Gimenez, and the number of times teams implied DFA on him was really surprising to me. 

Chris Young

Chirs Young was another player who was DFAed with a great record. In his career, he played for Red Sox, Los Angels, and Yankees. 

Chris Young had a record of 25 base steals and 30 home runs in 2007. He was released after being DFAed from New Tork mates in 2014. The second DFA incident happened in 2017 after he joined Red Sox in 2015. He was declared a free agent in 2017. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why is it called designated for assignment.

DFA or Designated for Assignment is a different term used in baseball because here the team has various options. The team can place that player to waiver. In addition, the team can trade or send him to the minor leagues. 

When a player is declared as designated for assignment, the team gets seven days window to make a decision. If they decide to waiver, they get three days to declare that. Otherwise, they can trade, release or send him to the minors. Moreover, if the team thinks they need that player again, they also can call him back to the team. 

What does DFAed mean? 

If a team declares DFA upon a player, we call that player DFAed. It’s just another expression of telling a team has imposed DFA on a player. 

Is there any DFA in Minor Leagues?

No, DFA is a term used in the Major league. If a player DFAed he can be transferred to the minor leagues but there is no DFA in the minor leagues. 

Conclusion 

There are many abbreviations in baseball that baseball followers should know. ERA, Cycles, FPS , WHIP are some of them. DFA is less common among other abbreviations, but it is a vital abbreviation that every baseball fan should know. 

Also, if you are a baseball fan, you should understand what happens to a DFA player. You should know options for both the player and the team. When Albert Pujols was DFAed, many baseball fans were confused about “what will happen now!” as they didn’t know the term. 

As a coach, it’s my duty to make people understand the rules and terminology of baseball. These are the basics. When you follow a game, you should know the game from the inside. 

So, what does DFA mean in baseball? I hope you won’t ask me this question next time you see me. Have a nice day, and I hope your favorite player never faces DFA in baseball.

Hello everyone. My name is  Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player.  I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego. 

I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit. 

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The Designated for Assignment (DFA) Process in Major League Baseball: Implications, Procedures, and Examples

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What does it mean to be designated for assignment?

To be designated for assignment in baseball means that a player has been removed from his team’s 40-man roster. This move is typically made when a team wants to make room for another player, or if the player’s performance has been disappointing or if he has become injured. Once a player is designated for assignment, the team has 7 days to trade him, release him, or place him on waivers. During this time, other teams have the opportunity to claim the player off waivers and assume his contract. If the player clears waivers, he can be assigned to the team’s minor league system or remain on the 40-man roster. Being designated for assignment can be a difficult and uncertain time for a player, as it often means he is at risk of losing his spot on the team and potentially even his career.

Why do teams designate players for assignment?

Teams designate players for assignment for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is to clear a roster spot for another player, either from their own minor league system or via a trade or free agent signing. Another reason could be due to a player’s poor performance, as a team may want to remove them from the active roster and give another player a chance to contribute. In some cases, a player may be designated for assignment if they become injured and the team needs to free up a roster spot for a healthy player. Finally, a team may designate a player for assignment if they are looking to trade the player and want to remove them from the active roster while negotiations are taking place. Regardless of the reason, being designated for assignment can be a difficult and uncertain time for a player, as their future with the team and in baseball is put into question.

What happens to a player who is designated for assignment?

When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the team’s active roster and placed on the 40-man roster’s “designated for assignment” list. The team then has 7 days to make a decision on the player’s future. During this time, the team can trade the player, release him, or place him on waivers. If the player clears waivers, the team can choose to assign him to their minor league system or keep him on the 40-man roster. If another team claims the player off waivers, they assume the player’s contract and roster spot.

For the player who has been designated for assignment, this can be a stressful and uncertain time, as their future with the team and in baseball is up in the air. They may be traded to another team, released and become a free agent, or sent to the minors, where they will need to work their way back up to the majors. The DFA process can have a significant impact on a player’s career and earning potential, as well as their confidence and morale.

The difference between designated for assignment and outright assignment While the terms “designated for assignment” (DFA) and “outright assignment” may seem similar, there is a key difference between the two. DFA is the process by which a player is removed from his team’s 40-man roster and given a 7-day window for the team to trade him, release him, or place him on waivers. If the player is not claimed off waivers, he can be assigned to the minor leagues or kept on the 40-man roster. On the other hand, outright assignment is the process by which a player is removed from both the 25-man and 40-man rosters and sent directly to the minor leagues. There is no 7-day window for a team to make a decision, and the player does not need to clear waivers. In other words, DFA is a more flexible process that allows the team to potentially retain the player or trade him, while outright assignment is a more direct demotion to the minor leagues. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but it’s important to understand the differences between the two. The impact of designated for assignment on a player’s career and future opportunities Being designated for assignment can have a significant impact on a player’s career and future opportunities. If a player is claimed off waivers by another team, he may be given a fresh start and the opportunity to contribute at the major league level. However, if the player clears waivers and is sent to the minors, his future in baseball may be uncertain. DFA can also have financial implications for both the player and the team. If the player is released, he becomes a free agent and can sign with any team, but may not receive the same salary he had with his previous team. Additionally, if a team is unable to trade a player who has been designated for assignment, they may be responsible for paying a portion of the player’s salary. The DFA process can be emotionally challenging for players, as it can be difficult to see their careers and livelihoods put into question. However, some players have been able to bounce back from DFA and use the experience as motivation to improve and succeed at the major league level. Examples of notable players who have been designated for assignment Throughout baseball history, many notable players have been designated for assignment at some point in their careers. One example is David Ortiz, who was designated for assignment by the Minnesota Twins in 2002 before being released and signing with the Boston Red Sox, where he went on to become one of the greatest designated hitters of all time. Another example is Jose Bautista, who was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004 before being picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays and transforming into a two-time MLB home run champion. More recently, Albert Pujols, a three-time MVP and 10-time All-Star, was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 before being picked up by the Los Angeles Dodgers. These players’ experiences illustrate that being designated for assignment does not necessarily mean the end of a player’s career, and that they can use the experience as motivation to succeed in the future. The role of waivers in the designated for assignment process Waivers play a crucial role in the DFA process. When a player is designated for assignment, he must be placed on waivers before he can be traded or outright released. Waivers give other teams in the league the opportunity to claim the player and assume his contract and roster spot. The waiver process is designed to promote competitive balance in the league by giving all teams an opportunity to claim players who have been designated for assignment, regardless of their place in the standings. However, the process can also be complex and unpredictable, as teams must weigh the potential benefits of claiming a player against the risks and costs associated with doing so. Waivers can be an especially important factor in the DFA process for players with larger contracts or for teams with limited payroll flexibility. In these cases, a player who clears waivers and is outright released may be more likely to be picked up by another team, as they would not be responsible for assuming the player’s full contract. How a player can appeal a DFA decision While it is rare for a player to successfully appeal a DFA decision, there are a few situations in which a player may have grounds for an appeal. For example, if a team designates a player for assignment due to an injury that was not disclosed or properly diagnosed, the player may be able to appeal the decision and potentially be reinstated on the team’s active roster. In order to appeal a DFA decision, the player must file a grievance with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) within 45 days of the transaction. The appeal will then be heard by an independent arbitrator, who will review the evidence presented by both the player and the team before making a final decision. While the appeal process can be time-consuming and expensive, it can provide a player with an opportunity to challenge a DFA decision and potentially continue his career at the major league level. The potential financial implications of designated for assignment for both players and teams Designating a player for assignment can have significant financial implications for both the player and the team. If the player is claimed off waivers, the team may be responsible for paying a portion of the player’s salary or may be relieved of the obligation entirely. If the player clears waivers and is outright released, the team may still be responsible for paying the remainder of the player’s contract, depending on the terms of the agreement. For the player, being designated for assignment can have long-term financial implications as well. If the player is released and becomes a free agent, he may struggle to find a team willing to offer him a similar contract. Additionally, if the player is sent to the minors, he may be paid a lower salary than he was making at the major league level. Overall, the financial impact of DFA can be significant and is an important factor for both players and teams to consider when making decisions about roster moves. The designated for assignment process in relation to the MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement The DFA process is governed by the Major League Baseball Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which outlines the rights and responsibilities of players and teams in relation to roster moves. The CBA includes provisions related to waivers, including the waiver claim process, which gives all teams in the league an opportunity to claim players who have been designated for assignment. The CBA also sets forth procedures for players to file grievances and challenge roster decisions, including DFA decisions, through the MLBPA. The CBA also sets minimum salary and service time requirements for players, which can impact a team’s decision to designate a player for assignment or keep him on the roster. Additionally, the CBA includes provisions related to arbitration, which can be used to resolve disputes between players and teams regarding contracts, salaries, and roster decisions. Overall, the DFA process is an important aspect of the MLB CBA, which governs many aspects of player contracts, salaries, and roster moves. Conclusion Being designated for assignment is a significant event in a player’s career that can have long-lasting implications. While the designated for assignment process is designed to give teams flexibility in managing their rosters, it can also be challenging for players who may be faced with uncertainty about their future. Waivers and financial considerations can also play important roles in the DFA process, and the procedures outlined in the MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement provide a framework for resolving disputes and ensuring fair treatment of players. Ultimately, the DFA process is an important aspect of the MLB landscape that requires careful consideration by teams and players alike. FAQs

1. what happens to a player who is designated for assignment.

A player who is designated for assignment is removed from his team’s 40-man roster and can be placed on waivers or outright released. If the player is not claimed by another team within the designated time frame, he can be sent to the minor leagues or become a free agent.

2. What is the difference between DFA and outright assignment?

DFA refers to the process of designating a player for assignment and placing him on waivers, while outright assignment refers to the process of removing a player from the 40-man roster and sending him to the minor leagues without passing through waivers.

3. How can a player appeal a DFA decision?

days of the transaction, and an independent arbitrator will review the evidence before making a final decision.

4. What are the financial implications of DFA for players and teams?

DFA can have significant financial implications for both players and teams. Teams may be responsible for paying a portion of the player’s salary or may be relieved of the obligation entirely if the player is claimed off waivers. For the player, being designated for assignment can impact his salary and long-term earning potential.

5. What is the role of waivers in the DFA process?

Waivers are used to give all teams in the league an opportunity to claim players who have been designated for assignment. If the player is claimed, the team claiming him assumes the responsibility for his contract. If the player clears waivers, he can be outright released or sent to the minor leagues.

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Home » Why Do MLB Players Get Designated for Assignment (DFA)?

Why Do MLB Players Get Designated for Assignment (DFA)?

Designated for Assignment (DFA) is a term used in Major League Baseball (MLB) that refers to the process of a team removing a player from their 40-man roster. This is done for various reasons, such as to make room for new players, to demote a player to the minor leagues, or to cut ties with a player who is not performing. In this article, we’ll take a look at why MLB players get designated for assignment and some of the implications of the process.

The Role of Contracts in the DFA Process

One of the primary reasons players are designated for assignment is due to a team’s need to make room on their 40-man roster. Teams must maintain a 40-man roster of players who are eligible to play in the major leagues, so if a team wants to add a new player they must first remove an existing one. This is often done by designating a player for assignment.

Additionally, teams can use the DFA process to get out of a contract they no longer want. MLB contracts are guaranteed, meaning that teams are obligated to pay a player the full value of their contract even if they are released. However, if a player is designated for assignment, the team is only obligated to pay a portion of the remaining salary. This is one of the main reasons why teams will opt to designate a player for assignment instead of simply releasing them.

Implications of Being Designated for Assignment

When a player is designated for assignment, they are placed on waivers for a period of seven to ten days. During this time, any other team can claim the player and add them to their roster. If the player is not claimed, they are then sent outright to the minor leagues or released.

If a player is sent to the minor leagues, they have the option to refuse the assignment and become a free agent. This can be beneficial to the player since they can explore the market and find a team that is a better fit.

Another implication of being designated for assignment is that it can have a negative effect on a player’s reputation. Players that are released or sent to the minors often struggle to find another job in the MLB, as teams are wary of taking on a player with a history of being designated for assignment.

Reasons Why Players Get Designated for Assignment

There are a variety of reasons why teams may choose to designate a player for assignment. Here are some of the most common:

1. Performance

The most common reason a player is designated for assignment is due to their performance. If a team feels that a player is no longer meeting their expectations or is not progressing as they should, they may opt to move on and replace them with a different player.

If a player suffers an injury that will keep them out for an extended period of time, a team may opt to designate them for assignment in order to free up a roster spot. This is often done with the intention of re-signing the player once they have fully recovered from their injury.

Teams may also opt to designate a player for assignment in order to free up money for other players. This is often done with highly paid veterans who are nearing the end of their contracts and are no longer playing at an elite level.

4. Personal Reasons

In some cases, teams may designate a player for assignment due to personal reasons. This could be due to a player’s attitude or off-field behavior, or simply because the team is looking to move in a different direction.

Designated for Assignment (DFA) is a term used in Major League Baseball that refers to the process of a team removing a player from their 40-man roster. Teams use the DFA process for various reasons, such as to make room for new players, to demote a player to the minor leagues, or to cut ties with a player who is not performing. This article has explored why MLB players get designated for assignment and some of the implications of the process.

Designated for Assignment in Baseball: Key Rules and Strategies

In Major League Baseball, team rosters and player contracts are subject to constant change. One particular term that holds significant importance in this regard is “designate for assignment” (DFA).Understanding the DFA process and its implications on a player’s career is essential for anyone looking to learn more about the intricacies of Major League Baseball.

When a player’s contract is designated for assignment, he is removed from his team’s 40-man roster immediately. This action triggers a seven-day window within which the team must either trade the player or place him on irrevocable outright waivers.

The primary objective of the DFA process is to create flexibility for teams to manage their rosters while allowing them the opportunity to keep or release players based on performance or strategic considerations.

In general, a player that has been designated for assignment may find his career trajectory altered, as he could either end up being traded to another team, outrighted to a minor league team, or released from his contract entirely. As such, the DFA process plays a vital role in shaping the dynamics of professional baseball, impacting both teams and players alike.

Designate for Assignment Definition

Reasons for designating a player, waiver period, player outcomes, roster management, trade opportunities, notable dfa examples.

Designate for Assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB) when a team wants to remove a player from its 40-man roster.

This action allows the team to make room for a new player or provide flexibility in managing its roster. Once a player is designated for assignment, the team has seven days to decide the player’s fate, which could include trading, releasing, or outrighting the player to the minor leagues, among other options.

In addition to being removed from the 40-man roster, the player is also taken off the team’s active roster, meaning they cannot participate in any games during the seven-day period. The designated player’s contract remains in force, and they continue to receive their salary and benefits during this time.

To facilitate the player’s potential move to another team or the minor leagues, the player can be placed on waivers for a specified period. Waivers provide other MLB teams with the opportunity to claim the player and assume their contract. If multiple teams place a claim, the team with the weakest record in the player’s league is given priority. If the player is not claimed by any team during the waiver period, they can then be outrighted to the minor leagues, traded, or released.

However, if the player has accrued a specific amount of Major League service time, they may have the right to refuse an outright assignment to the minor leagues, opting instead for free agency.

There are various reasons a baseball team might opt to designate a player for assignment (DFA). One common reason is to make room on the 40-man roster for another player. The move allows the team to immediately remove a player from their roster and provides them with some roster flexibility.

Another reason for designating a player is due to their performance. If a player is experiencing a significant slump or has consistently failed to meet the team’s expectations, the DFA process can be implemented as a method to allow the player to refocus, find their form, or make adjustments while they are in the minor leagues.

Injuries can also be a factor. When a player sustains a serious injury and is unable to contribute to the team, it may be necessary to designate them for assignment to open a roster spot for a healthy replacement. Similarly, when a player who was previously on the injured list is ready to return to the team, the organization may need to DFA another player to make room.

Lastly, financial considerations can come into play. In some cases, a team might designate a player for assignment due to their contract, such as when a high-priced player is underperforming and the team wishes to move on without having to pay that player’s remaining salary. This could make DFA an option for teams who are trying to reduce payroll while still retaining some control.

DFA Process

The process of Designated for Assignment (DFA) in baseball involves removing a player from a team’s 40-man roster. This step provides teams with flexibility in managing their player rosters and creates opportunities for the player in question to find a new role within another team.

When a player is designated for assignment, the team has seven days to determine the next course of action. During this period, the player can be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers, allowing other teams to claim the player (MLB.com) .

There are several possible outcomes for a player who has been designated for assignment:

• Returned to the 40-man roster: The team can choose to reverse the decision and return the player to the 40-man roster
• Trade: The player can be traded to another team during the waiver period, allowing both teams to negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement.
• Waivers: If the player is placed on waivers and claimed by another team, the new team takes responsibility for the player’s contract.
• Release: The player is released from the team, effectively making them a free agent and able to negotiate a new contract with any team.
• Outright to the Minor Leagues: If the player clears waivers, meaning no teams claim the player, they can be outrighted from the 40-man roster into Minor League Baseball, allowing the player to continue their career within the organization.

The DFA process creates flexibility for teams to adjust their rosters as needed, while providing players with the opportunity to find new roles within the league.

Strategies and Implications

Designating a player for assignment (DFA) is a useful roster management tool in baseball. When a player is designated for assignment , they are immediately removed from the team’s 40-man roster, but their rights are retained by the team. This allows the team to explore different options within a seven-day window, such as trading the player or placing them on irrevocable outright waivers.

Utilizing the DFA process can help teams manage their roster more effectively by providing flexibility in making decisions. Teams may choose to designate a player for assignment if they need to clear roster space for an incoming player or if they believe the player is no longer a suitable fit for the team’s strategy. This process also provides teams with the opportunity to find appropriate solutions for both the team and the player, minimizing the risk of losing the player without receiving any return value.

When a player is designated for assignment, there are trade opportunities that may benefit the team. The player can be traded to another team within the seven-day window, allowing the original team to potentially receive assets in return. This can include other players, cash considerations, or a combination of both.

Trading a designated player provides teams with the possibility of acquiring additional resources that may be more aligned with their strategic goals or fill specific needs on the roster. It serves as a last resort for the team to recoup some value from the player before potentially losing them via waivers.

In summary, the designated for assignment process in baseball offers valuable roster management and trade opportunities for teams. By strategically using this tool, teams can optimize their roster composition and take advantage of potential trade returns to build a competitive team.

Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, many players have been designated for assignment (DFA). While some DFA cases are unremarkable, others involve notable players or have led to interesting outcomes. Here are a few prominent examples:

One such case involved former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval who was designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox in 2017. After experiencing a significant decline in performance and dealing with health issues, the Red Sox ultimately DFA’d Sandoval , eventually releasing him.

Another significant example is the 2018 DFA placement of four-time All-Star Adrian Gonzalez by the New York Mets. The first baseman struggled in his time with the Mets and was consequently designated for assignment , eventually released and then retiring.

Former Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum also experienced a notable DFA in 2016, when the Los Angeles Angels removed him from their 40-man roster due to poor performance. In this case, Lincecum cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A before ultimately electing free agency later that year.

In summary, these notable DFA examples showcase the unpredictability and challenges faced by professional baseball players. The designated for assignment process is a reminder that no player is immune to changes in performance, injuries, or other factors that may lead to their removal from a team’s 40-man roster.

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MLB options, waivers and outright assignments, explained

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Now that the 2017 World Series is over, Major League Baseball teams are wasting no time in making moves to adjust their rosters for the 2018 season.

Andrew Romine was placed on waivers and claimed by the Seattle Mariners . Jim Adduci cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minor leagues. Alex Presley cleared waivers, was outrighted, and elected free agency. Tyler Collins cleared waivers, was outrighted, and might elect free agency. Kyle Ryan, Myles Jaye , Bryan Holaday , and Efren Navarro were also placed on outright waivers. Eight players, all placed on waivers, with different situations.

Here is how they work.

What are waivers?

Waivers are a way for a major league team to take a player off its 40-man roster in order to send him outright to the minor leagues, or release him and let him become a free agent. A player cannot be removed from the 40-man roster without first clearing waivers, where all 29 other teams have a chance to claim that player, and his existing contract, for a modest waiver fee.

What are MLB options?

An option (optional assignment) allows a club to move a player on its 40-man roster to and from the minor leagues without exposing him to other teams.

Once a player is added to a team’s 40-man roster, his team has three options, or three different seasons in which the club may to send him to the minor leagues without having to clear waivers. A player on the 40-man roster playing in the minors is on optional assignment. There is no limit on the number of times a club may promote and demote a player during one option season.

A player must spend at least 20 days total in the minor leagues during one season (not including rehabilitation assignments) in order to be charged with an option. John Hicks was sent up and down a half dozen times during the 2017 season, but used just one option.

When a player is out of options, he cannot be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers. Also, a player who has accrued at least five years of major league service time may not be optioned to the minors without his consent. Hicks , as well as Bruce Rondon , Drew VerHagen , Matt Boyd and Buck Farmer are now out of options, so they will have to go on waivers if they don’t make the team in the spring.

There are three types of waivers.

Outright waivers

Outright waivers are used when a team wants to send a player to the minors but he is out of options. If the player clears waivers, he may be outrighted to the minor leagues.

However, a player may only be outrighted once during his career without his consent. When a player is outrighted for the second time or more, he may elect to become a free agent either immediately, if during the season, or as soon as the season is over, unless he is added back to the 40-man roster. This is why Tyler Collins can — and probably will — elect free agency.

A player with three years of major league service may also refuse an outright assignment and choose to become a free agent immediately or at the end of the season. Alex Presley, who has over four years of service time in the majors, rejected his outright assignment and chose free agency.

Release waivers

Release waivers are requested when a team wants to give a player his unconditional release.

Special waivers

Special Waivers , also known as revocable waivers or major league waivers, are used only between July 31 and the end of each season. These waivers are required in order to trade a player who is on the 40-man roster to another major league team after the trade deadline. Justin Verlander cleared waivers and was traded to the Houston Astros on August 31 in one of the most famous post-deadline trades ever.

What does it mean for a player to be designated for assignment?

A player may be designated for assignment (DFA) , giving the team 10 days to either trade him, or send him to the minor leagues, provided he clears waivers.

Romine and Presley were eligible for arbitration this offseason, and the Tigers were not prepared to risk going through that process with them. The same fate may await Bruce Rondon or Blaine Hardy, who are also eligible for arbitration this winter. BYB posted the projected salaries for the Tigers’ arbitration eligible players here .

Hardy still has an option year remaining, whereas Presley, Romine, and Rondon are all out of options.

The Tigers have until December 1 to offer a contract to their arbitration-eligible players. If they don’t make an offer, the player is said to be “non-tendered” and becomes a free agent.

Teams have until November 20 to submit their reserve lists of up to 40 players to the MLB office in advance of the Rule 5 draft. The Tigers will be adding some young players to the roster by that date, and will want to keep a spot or two open so that they may make a selection with their first pick in the draft on December 14.

Thursday was the day that players who are eligible for free agency became free agents, but the Tigers had no such players, having traded any would-be free agents during the season. Detroit formally declined their $16 million option on Anibal Sanchez on Thursday, paying him a $5 million buyout and making him a free agent.

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What does designated for assignment mean in MLB? What to know about Madison Bumgarner

The Arizona Diamondbacks designated pitcher Madison Bumgarner for assignment on Thursday after his latest rough outing on Wednesday.

Bumgarner is 0-3 on the season with a 10.26 ERA in 16.2 innings over four starts. He has given up 25 hits and 19 earned runs, while walking 15 and striking out 10.

What's next for the pitcher and the Arizona Diamondbacks?

Here's a look at the designated for assignment process and what it means for Bumgarner and his MLB team.

What does designated for assignment (DFA) mean in baseball?

The MLB.com glossary explains the process as follows: "When a player's contract is designated for assignment — often abbreviated "DFA" — that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster. Within seven days of the transaction (had been 10 days under the 2012-16 Collective Bargaining Agreement), the player can either be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers."

What happens if the player is claimed off waivers by another team?

The glossary explains the process as follows: "If the player is claimed off said waivers by another club, he is immediately added to that team's 40-man roster, at which point he can be optioned to the Minor Leagues (if he has Minor League options remaining) or assigned to his new team's 26-man roster. If the player clears waivers, he may be sent outright to the Minor Leagues or released. Players with more than three years of Major League service time or who have been previously outrighted may reject the outright assignment in favor of free agency. Clubs may utilize this option to clear a spot on the 40-man roster — typically with the intention of adding a newly acquired player (via trade or free agency), a Minor Leaguer or a player being activated from the 60-day injured list."

What are the specifics of Madison Bumgarner's DFA?

The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro explained the specifics regarding the situation for Bumgarner and the Diamondbacks in his story detailing the pitcher being designated for assignment on Thursday.

He wrote: "Bumgarner is likely to be placed on waivers soon, if he hasn't been already, and would become a free agent once he clears. He could then sign with another team for a prorated portion of the league minimum ($720,000). He is not likely to be claimed or traded given the amount of money still owed to him by the Diamondbacks."

How much do the Diamondbacks owe Madison Bumgarner?

Bumgarner signed a 5-year, $85 million contract with the Diamondbacks in December of 2019. He is still owed $34 million through next season. In cutting ties with Bumgarner, the Diamondbacks are setting a new club record for dead money, exceeding the $22 million they ate when releasing right-hander Russ Ortiz during the 2006 season.

More on Madison Bumgarner and the Diamondbacks

Madison Bumgarner designated for assignment by Diamondbacks

Why the Diamondbacks did not call up Brandon Pfaadt to replace Madison Bumgarner

With sense of urgency, Diamondbacks move on from struggling Madison Bumgarner

Arizona Diamondbacks fans sound off: Madison Bumgarner must be removed from rotation

Reach Jeremy Cluff at  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter  @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to  azcentral.com  today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What does DFA mean in baseball? What's next for Madison Bumgarner

Lorenzo Cain was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers. Here's what that means.

Lorenzo Cain was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday before  the team's game against the Cincinnati Reds on the day he reached 10 years of MLB service.

What does designated for assignment mean and why is that milestone significant for the veteran centerfielder? 

Here's what you should know.

What does designated for assignment mean?

According to Major League Baseball , a player is removed from the 40-man roster when the player's contract is designated for assignment.

The player can be traded or be completely waived within seven days of the DFA.

If the player is claimed by another team, he can be optioned to the minor leagues or assigned to their 26-man roster. A player could reject the minor-league assignment and enter free agency based on service time, for example.

What's next for Cain?

He could retire, which is something he already said was a strong possibility after the season, or another team could sign him after he clears waivers. Cain told reporters in Cincinnati he would take a couple days to decide what his plans will be. 

Why did the Brewers designate Cain for assignment?

Cain said "it was time" and that the decision was mutual as he acknowledged he wasn't producing to his standards. Teams designate players to open a spot on their 40-man roster and usually add a new player.

The Brewers did just that with the addition of outfielder Jonathan Davis from Class AAA Nashville.

Who is Jonathan Davis ?

Davis is 30 years old and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2013 in the 15th round. He has spent most of his career in the minors but made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Blue Jays.

He was claimed off waivers by the Yankees during the 2021 season.

This was his first season in the Brewers organization.

With the Nashville Sounds, he was batting .297, .408 OBP, .426 OPS, with 44 hits, three home runs, 18 RBI in 148 at-bats across 38 games.

He has played 134 total games in the majors with a .171 average,.272. OBP and .520 OPS.

Did MLB's 10-year pension rule have something to do with Cain being designated for assignment today?

Yes. The Brewers waited until Saturday to DFA Cain because he reached 10 years of service. 

When a player reaches that milestone, he becomes fully vested in the MLB Players Association pension. It guarantees a minimum of $68,000 a year for retired players and up to $220,000 if they wait until they’re 62.

How old is Cain?

Cain is 36 years old.

What was Cain's contract?

This was the final year of the contract Cain signed before the 2018 season. 

He signed a five-year deal worth $80 million, the largest the club had extended to a player . The Brewers signed Cain on the same day the team made the huge trade for Christian Yelich.

What were Cain's stats with the Brewers in 2022?

In 145 at-bats in 2022, Cain had a .179 average, .231 OBP and .465 OPS. He had 26 hits, one home run, nine RBI and two SB. 

What are Cain's career stats?

For his career, he has hit .283 with a .343 OBP and .750 OPS. He has 1,220 hits, 87 home runs, 454 RBI and 190 SB.

In 2018, the year in which he finished seventh in NL MVP voting, he batted .308, .395 and .812 and played in 141 games. He played in 148 games the following year, but in 2020, after five games he opted out the rest of the season during the pandemic-shortened year.

Cain returned in 2021 but injuries plagued him as he only played in 78 games and batted .257, .329 and .730.

Cain started his career with the Brewers

The Brewers drafted Cain in 2004 out of  Tallahassee Community College. He made his major-league debut in 2010 and was traded to the Kansas City Royals that December. He won a World Series with the Royals in 2015.

Cain won a Gold Glove with the Brewers

Cain for years was known as one of the best outfielders in the game and his home-run stealing grabs were must-see. He was finally rewarded with a Gold Glove in 2019.

Here is one of the most memorable catches (the 2019 season opener against the Cardinals to take away a home run in the ninth inning that ended the game).

Contact Christopher Kuhagen at 262-446-6634 or at  [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @ckuhagen  and our newsroom Instagram accounts at MyCommunityNow and Lake Country Now .

Mets designate former All-Star catcher for assignment

T he New York Mets 2024 campaign has not gone according to plan. The blue and orange are 10 games under .500 (23-33) and have dealt with a slew of injuries and underperformance from players who were supposed to be a huge key to their success. On Friday, the Mets cut bait with one of those underperforming players.

The Mets have designated Omar Narváez for assignment

According to Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets have designated Omar Narváez for assignment. Narváez signed with the Mets before the 2023 season on a two-year $15 million deal to be the starting catcher until Francisco Álvarez was ready to take the leap to the major leagues.

Unfortunately for the blue and orange, Narváez never quite found his footing in 2023 due to suffering a medium-high-grade calf strain early in the campaign. By the time the former all-star got healthy, Álvarez had taken over the starting role.

Narváez got delegated to the backup role to begin the 2024 campaign, and despite moving into the starting role following Álvarez tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, the 32-year-old’s performance has not improved.

The 32-year-old has slashed .154/.191/.185 across 28 games with no home runs and five RBIs alongside an abysmal 12 OPS+. Defensively, the former all-star hasn’t fared much better. Narváez has a -7 defensive runs saved above average and has thrown out just two of the 35 steal attempts.

Who is taking Narváez’s spot ?

Tomás Nido will now take over the starting catching role for the time being until Álvarez, who began a rehab assignment on Thursday with Double-A Binghamton, is ready to return to the major leagues.

The 30-year-old is slashing .233/.260/.370 across 29 games, along with three home runs and seven RBIs, and should be able to hold down the fort for the time being. Backing up Nido will be the newly acquired Luis Torrens .

Torrens has spent 2024 with the Yankees Triple-A affiliate and performed exceptionally well, slashing .279/.339/.469 across 30 games with five home runs and 19 RBIs. The 28-year-old will look to take advantage of his shot at the big league level and force president of baseball operations David Stearns to make a difficult decision when Álvarez is set to return.

Mets expected to DFA Jorge Lopez after he throws glove into stands, postgame blowup

This story has been updated to reflect Jorge Lopez's latest clarification on Thursday.

The New York Mets have underperformed in 2024, and one of the team's top relievers has seemingly had enough. Following a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers , finishing off a sweep of the Mets, 2022 All-Star Jorge Lopez had this to say about his team:

OUCH! The worst team in MLB ?

MLB.com's Anthony DiComo sought even further clarification on if Lopez was calling the Mets the "worst team" or himself the "worst teammate."

Lopez speaks out: Mets pitcher Jorge Lopez blasts media for igniting postgame controversy

All things Mets: Latest New York Mets news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

"I'm told Lopez later explained his comments as a combination of both: the worst teammate on the worst team," DiComo reported .

In a now deleted Instagram post , Lopez pushed back at the notion that he had called the Mets the "worst team" and clarified that he was saying "worst teammate."

Mets beat reporter Manny Gómez offered his own thoughts on what has been a confounding situation. The reporter first explains that Lopez's first language is not English. Gómez explains that he and other reporters listened to over three minutes of audio that culminates in the quote: "I think I been looking (like) the worst teammate probably in the whole f---ing MLB.” While the quote that is often referenced states: “I think I’ve been on the worst team in probably the whole f---ing MLB.”

The point that has been made across the transom of publications is that Lopez was asked in the moment to clarify. It's to this point that Gómez has additional nuance:

Lopez's emotions were obviously running high during this interview. Lopez had been ejected from the game for arguing a check swing call with the third base umpire. After the ejection, Lopez threw his glove into the stands in frustration, which manager Carlos Mendoza called "unacceptable."

Lopez ended the day having pitched just 0.1 innings, surrendering two earned runs on two hits and one walk.

What will happen to Lopez?

The Mets will DFA Lopez, according to multiple reports.

While the decision makes sense given what Lopez did and said, it's still a little shocking considering the success Lopez has had this season. In 2024, Lopez has posted a 3.12 ERA. He is one of only two relievers on the team to have pitched at least 20 innings while maintaining an ERA under 3.50.

What does DFA mean?

When a player is DFA'd (Designated for Assignment), he is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster. The team then has seven days to either return the player to the 40-man roster, place them on waivers, trade them, release them, or send them down to the minor leagues.

Given Lopez's solid start to 2024, it would not be a shock for him to find a new team quickly should the Mets decide to place him on waivers or release him outright.

Are the Mets actually 'the worst team in baseball?'

Record-wise, no. The Mets have a better record than the Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, and Chicago White Sox, with the White Sox having the worst record in baseball at 15-41.

Even statistically speaking, the Mets aren't the worst team in baseball. Between team batting average, on-base percentage, total runs, home runs, slugging percentage, ERA, batting average against, and WHIP, there isn't a single statistic where the Mets rank outside the top-25 in baseball. Albeit, the Mets don't rank particularly well in any of these statistics aside from batting average against (.231, 7th in MLB), but they are far from the worst team in baseball.

The Mets have been worse of late, though. The team has gone 2-8 in its last 10 games. Only the White Sox (1-9 in their last 10) have a worse record over that span.

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Mets To Designate Jorge Lopez For Assignment

By Anthony Franco | May 29, 2024 at 11:59pm CDT

The Mets are designating reliever  Jorge López for assignment, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post ( X link ). The move comes after the right-hander tossed his glove into the stands following a rough outing this afternoon against the Dodgers. After the game, López said he didn’t regret the incident and called the Mets “the worst team in probably the whole f***ing MLB” (video provided on X by SNY).

López, a native of Puerto Rico, conducted his postgame media scrum in English. While it was initially unclear whether he intended to call the Mets “the worst team” in the league or if called himself “the worst teammate,” he answered “probably” to a follow-up question when asked whether he called the Mets “the worst team.” MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets that López subsequently indicated he intended to criticize both himself and the club — calling himself the worst teammate on the league’s worst team.

The Mets may very well have been prepared to move on from López even before his comments. Called on to pitch in the eighth inning with the team trailing 5-3, he surrendered a double to  Miguel Vargas that scored a pair of inherited runners. López retired  Mookie Betts before serving up a two-run homer to  Shohei Ohtani . He was ejected during the next at-bat after arguing with third base umpire Ramon De Jesus on a check swing. López flipped his glove over the protective netting on his way off the field. After the game, manager Carlos Mendoza called López’s behavior “not acceptable” and said the team would address it internally ( video from SNY ).

A veteran of nine MLB seasons, López inked a $2MM free agent deal with the Mets in December. This afternoon notwithstanding, he had serviceable run prevention numbers. In 26 1/3 innings, he turned in a 3.76 earned run average. López only punched out 17.2% of opponents while walking nearly 10% of batters faced. While he probably wouldn’t have been cut loose if not for today’s glove toss and postgame comments, it wasn’t a resoundingly impressive performance either.

López was an All-Star with the Orioles back in 2022, when he turned in a 1.68 ERA with 19 saves in 48 1/3 frames for Baltimore. The O’s controversially traded him to the Twins at the deadline. López’s production plummeted after the deal, as he turned in a 4.81 ERA in Minnesota. He continued to struggle after being swapped to the Marlins last summer and in a late-season return to Baltimore.

The Mets are riding a three-game losing streak and have dropped 19 of 26 this month. They’re a season-worst 11 games below .500 and ahead of only the Rockies and Marlins in the National League. The bullpen entered play today with a 4.42 ERA in May, ranking 21st in MLB. They lost the struggling Edwin Díaz to the injured list before the game.  Adam Ottavino ,  Reed Garrett and  Jake Diekman are taking high-leverage work.

246 Comments

Shoutout Jorge for tossing me his glove at the game today

If you sell that online you could probably get close to full retail price!

That glove will be worth a pretty penny on eBay

Anyone here still remember joe from impractical jokers stealing Noah Syndergaard pregame balls

Guess the Gatorade bucket was dosed with Truth Serum.

Thor losing his balls explains pretty much everything.

If you heard the latest, apologies are due to Lopez who is stressed out due to a family matter. Sending nothing but prayers to the family. Maybe we (myself at times included) should refrain from jumping on the bandwagon.

Only in corporatized America would throwing your glove into the stands not be considered colorful.

It looked like a group of Yankee fans who got the glove, which I thought summarized how things are going for the Mets and their fans at the moment. They can’t even get a nice souvenir!

Separately, seems odd to release him based on his comment, if that’s why they released him.

Designate Ottavino please. I can’t watch him any longer.

Babe Ruth is coming out of retirement so Ottavino has someone to strike out

Makes sense since he was knocked out of the top 10 all time batting averages. Sitting at 13 now like that pig-faced ogre deserves.

“Makes sense since he was knocked out of the top 10 all time batting averages. Sitting at 13 now like that pig-faced ogre deserves.”

Rubes look at batting average.

Knowledgable people (don’t look at batting average at all) look at batting average plus. Ruth is 55th with a career batting average plus of 119. Ty Cobb leads at 133.

Not sure why @ no good above is angry with Babe Ruth but the Babe could probably still hit about .320 off most pitchers in MLB.

I’m not angry. I loved him in that twilight zone episode at the hospital. Im saying he will come back to get back in the top 10. Unfortunately hitting .320 won’t raise his lifetime .342 average (math and such).

Which shows how diluted the talent was back then. Tony Gwynn not even top 20 I believe, and he was probably the best pure hitter ever.

Edit he’s 23rd! Insane

That’s a bold faced lie. Pitchers didn’t throw 100 in babes day

There were generations of great pitchers in the Negro Leagues that Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Foxx, Wagner and other greats of their eras never had to hit against.

It’s no coincidence that nobody has hit over .400 or come close to Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hit streak since MLB was integrated.

I think he’s just P.O.’d that Cohen only paid him 2 million bucks to stink and he gave everybody else at least 1o million.

He just missed Bob Feller in 1936 who some claimed threw 110. His fasted pitch recorded was 107.6!

100% of the Negro numbers are 100% BS. Wille Mays played as a 16 year old. Hitting 466 off a teenager is not the same as facing Walter Johnson. The Babe and Williams were the greatest hitters ever. Period. Josh who?

That’s your opinion, and there’s not enough time or space list all the players and facts that make you seem astonishingly ignorant and/or uninformed.

Sir, I do not understand what your screen name is referring to…granted that’s my problem, not yours, but could you elucidate??

It was just about the only sport going at that point. Now there are so many options. Like ice hockey, lacrosse, and curling.

Top guys could play, middle to bottom in that league could not. Your point is valid.

Babe hit a softer ball with an inferior piece of wood in his hands. Today’s hitters would complain about both.

Babe also didn’t wear arm protection, good shoes or an ear flap on his helmet.

It works both ways. There were great pitchers that Josh Gibson never had to face. There were many differences that make just listing the stats together a difficult fix. I sincerely doubt the playing fields were of similar quality, or the score keeping at the same level. As the leagues were separate, its impossible to compare the players on equal footing. Its much the same as adding the Mexican League stats in, or the Japanese League stats. As much as the movement to erase past history has grown, the Major Leagues took their time integrating the game. There were some ugly times. Including the Negro League stats into MLB history now, doesn’t change that the players weren’t allowed to play in MLB then. It just lets MLB cover it all with white wash.

If Negro League stats count for MLB, the USFL, CFL and XFL stats count for NFL. Not happening.

The best of the best in the Negro leagues should be recognized in Cooperstown. MLB numbers count in MLB, other leagues count in other leagues.

You know, you could just not count them yourself. No one is stopping you. ‍♂️

No, but they pitched. Today they just throw as hard as they can and it’s either served up fat or they can’t throw a strike. Pitching now days is horrible.

nwwh- Yes. And???

Weggie it’s more complicated. First, imagine if your guy Reggie Jackson wore an elbow guard, hand guard and had a better grip on the bat. How sick would his stats be?

Pitchers aren’t allowed to build innings or else media will say they were overused. There’s more to it than that, but this is our new reality.

That’s part of it, sure. But a lot smaller part than you are giving it credit, integration is so far from the only reason that players don’t hit like that anymore. The game, the physical abilities of players, the improvement of training facilities and health knowledge, ability to consistently produce and manipulate the current baseballs, etc etc. Big picture, pitchers have benefited from these changes more than hitters, plain and simple.

I cann9t believe fathom how anyone who,watches baseball thinks this

Have you seen what pitchers make pitches do?

Add to this that in bygone eras, pitchers routinely knew they owned the inside corners and had no problem brushing back hitters or knocking them down to back them off the plate or prevent them from digging in. That seems to be a non-starter in the world of today’s multi millionaire contracts. Wonder how Gibson, Koufax, Drysdale or even Pedro or Clemens would do today. Every game would feature brawls over pitches one off the plate

However, given that African American players currently make up 6.1% of MLB–and that the number of African American pitchers is even lower–other, more significant factors are probably in play.

@Macattack We are not allowed to criticize MLB’s piss poor decisions

@it’shappening Stop making so much sense it’s kiilling me!!

@Hubert: However, given that Latino players make up 30.2% of MLB, that means 36.3%, or more than a third, would not have been playing prior to integration in 1947, before which Latino players made up less than 1%.

Not sure if these are strong racist vibes or strong it ignorance vibes, not that there’s not a ton of overlap there.

The dearth of people of African decent in MLB has more to do with cultural and social economic reasons than physical ones

Exactly. We don’t hear anyone say the DR produces so many ballplayers because “those people are good at baseball.” That would be ignorant. It doesn’t take a lot of intelligence to know it’s a result of baseball being played religiously in the DR because it is seen as one of the few ways to get off the island.

But other forms of the same brand of ignorance, you will hear. All the time. The reason why is not mysterious.

Lol MLB stats already include six leagues, clown

Kids provide the pool of adults from which professionals come. Black kids don’t have access to equipment, playing fields or quality coaching, but with a net a ball and 100 square feet of concrete, you’ve got a basketball game. So they are playing basketball. No mystery at all. Black adults aren’t playing baseball because they didn’t play as kids and never developed the extreme skills needed. They play Basketball because they did. Simple as that.

See my comment above.

Blue – Of course you’re right about integration, but there are so many different factors that need to be taken into consideration when attempting to compare quality of pitching then and now.

Do you think the pitchers were much much better during the two Dead Ball eras?

As for your comment regarding Ted’s .406 season, think of it this way …. even the best pitchers of that era, such as Bob Feller, were easier to face back then because they threw 340 innings and usually on just 3 days rest.

So facing a tired Feller in the 8th or 9th inning was much easier than facing max-effort relievers throwing over 100MPH who usually pitch just a couple innings a week.

And BTW, relievers back then typically sucked …. that’s why they weren’t starting pitchers.

Look at the difference in BP usage:

2023 – 1.32 WHIP and 9.12 K/9

1941 – 1.55 WHIP and 3.35 K/9

FPG: Valid points, but IMO the overriding factor was that integration, starting with Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby, greatly broadened and deepened the talent pool from which MLB teams selected players.

It’s known that increasing the talent pool raises the quality and performance of those selected.

This happens in academia and industry, and it happened in MLB and other professional sports.

@ignorant. No problem, friend. It’s from this sketch.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=8YDpvMYk5jA&pp=ygURbm8g…

People are forced to go to the xfl or cfl because they lack skills. Players were forced into the Negro League because they didn’t have “correct” skin color.

Pretty bad comparison.

What a racist moron

But, you repeat yourself

It’s a great comparison, because as unfortunate as your kind made it possible to divide players by skin color back then (yes, you read that correct), the leagues are different. As much as you’d want to re-correct the history people like you destroyed, it can’t happen.

Pretty bad world view CarIdeas.

Blue – I was responding to the belief that pitching is so much better these days because of integration, and that you yourself said great MLB hitters never had to face the great African American pitchers prior to 1947.

Yes of course there’s a wider pool of pitching talent today, but there’s also a wider pool of hitting talent as well ….. so you saying nobody has hit .400 or had a 56-game hitting streak because of today’s player diversity doesn’t really make sense.

Level of talent goes across the board no matter what the year.

Babe Ruth never had to face a Pedro Martinez or Bob Gibson, but Satchel Paige never had to face an Ohtani or Ichiro either.

But good pitching generally beats good hitting, as we see often in postseason play.

@itshappening. All of what you said makes zero sense and doesn’t address the fact your comparison is dumb.

Sorry you get upset when people of color are recognized for their achievements. Stay in Missouri.

CarIdeas it appears you are lost. The only person here that’s upset is you. My comparison was spot-on, and you still haven’t acknowledged your part in this overcompensation.

People like you are the problem, and people like you are the reason we are here in the first place. Take a look in the mirror before you sling more ignorant and incompetent assessments as your ideology is what made this happen a long time ago. I await your next stupid thought.

I see. You are lacking the bare minimum of intelligence required to make a cogent argument. But, I’m sure you feel smart repeating your nonsense that has zero basis on reality.

I repeat, stay in Missouri.

I found that its_happening is one of those commenters best dealt with by the Mute button.

It’s quite pleasant not reading his drivel, especially the ad hominem attacks.

The problem with the mute button is it also blots out commenters who you haven’t muted.

Your lack of self realization is appalling, NoIdeas. Let’s start from the top.

To put two separate leagues counted as one is simply impossible to do. Only people who don’t live in-reality would feel different. Unfortunate that players before 1947 did not get an opportunity to play in MLB.

That lack of reality that you clearly possess shows your ideology – the very ideology that put society where it was prior to 1947 in the first place. Where you stand today is where you would have stood then; on the wrong side of history.

You started the attack, then you ran away. Mute me all you want, it’s guys like you and where you stand that put us in the position to count stats that do not reflect what actually happened in MLB. Your kind divides like it did back then.

Reality: Negro Leagues was not MLB. I didn’t ask for it, but it is reality. When you’re ready to face that, wake up and join us in realville.

Acceptable collateral damage, as they say in the military.

The best part about this is that Its_Happening is apparently a Blue Jays fan… Not sure about the Missouri part.

What the guy fails to understand is many black QBs were not given opportunities to play in the NFL and were forced to play CFL like Warren Moon and others. What was done wasn’t right. However, those wanting to erase history are bound to repeat it. Guys like NoGood want that to feel good about his side of the aisle pushing the divide in the very first place.

He’ll toss his glove in the stands next week

There is no point in integrating the stats because all it does is provide closure to families that had a Negro league player (is it really closure or do they just want to be recognized for something)

It mainly just confuses fans going to baseballreference because they might be like “oh babe Ruth did not have the gold italicized text josh Gibson was the best player ever because he has the gold text wait but he played in less than a 4th of Ruth’s games uhh”

What some call closure, others call opener.

I also wouldn’t worry so much about fans becoming even more confused about stats than they are already.

Well, after those post game comments…

“Worst Team in Probably the Whole F–king MLB”

At least he doesn’t have to play for the worst team in MLB anymore

Wrong. He actually calls himself the worst teammate. Listen again. So many people spreading this misinformation

The reporter came back to him to clarify and when asked if he said they’re the worst team he said “probably”. This is not the hill to die on…

To be frank, I don’t think even Lopez knows what he said and why he said that. Everything was lost in translation.

You could hear him say teammate if you listen carefully, but even after they tried to clarify, he just went along with it and just said yes, like he didn’t understand the question. I don’t know, maybe I’m giving him too much benefit of the doubt,

I think if he wasn’t able to understand English well enough to understand the clarifying question then he would have had an interpreter on him

Listen to his response to a question right before the clarification question. His English is bad and his responses made no sense.

I didn’t know he played for the White Sox.

After all this, he’s about to! If he needs a lower stress environment, he’ll have one there.

A harsher punishment than DFAing for that comment would’ve been to sentence him to pitch for the Mets the rest of the season.

umm..hello… no offense to the Mets, but last time we checked, we’re still in MLB, and we REALLY suck. Maybe we’ll sign you so you can get the true South Side experience..

Love, Chicago White Sox

What a stud

He didn’t lie ‍♂️

The Anaheim Halos and Chicago WS might have something to say about that remark.

As long as the Rockies play, his claim is in error.

There is a simple solution for the Angels. New owner. The Mets just got one already.

What if the Mets just constantly rebuild but sign people like JD Martinez to 1 year expensive deals just to trade them for even more prospects

This is a new type of rebuild the Mets could look like the orioles but even more stacked

@sad Eh, they might occasionally run into a James Shields for Fernando Tatis Jr. trade out of sheer luck. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a particularly successful strategy.

Even if the Mets ate his entire salary, players like JD Martinez aren’t particularly valuable, so the ceiling of the prospects would be much lower than the Orioles’ players. And given the unreliability of prospect capital, they’d have to get reeeeeaaaaally lucky to hit on even a few of the better prospects they’d receive.

James shields out of retirement to eat Mets innings incoming?

If you apply wins per payroll, its not close.

Lopez just was interviewed about throwing his glove into the Stands which was caught by a Japanese Yankee fan. He called the Mets the worst team in the fking MLB. Wow.

He was barking at the 3B Umpire about a check swing and he was tossed.

There is a serious problem in the Mets clubhouse which has been there for years. Hmmm

nypost.com/2024/05/29/sports/jorge-lopez-throws-me…

I hate the Mets but wow this guy is a POS. Hope he never plays again. My nine year old son knows how to control his anger better than this “adult.”

Look for the Braves to sign him where all the Mets DFA’s wind up. LOL

I hope not lol. Still somehow better though!

I would love that. 1. That doesn’t fly in ATL 2.that dude is fire when he’s in it.

Good gosh drama queen. He threw a glove. Wow big deal.

Drama queen? Lol yeah, sure. The guy who comments on a 30 year old acting like a toddler is the drama queen. Not the guy who stomps off the mound like a spoiled child whose mom refuses to buy him a matchbox car, throws his glove into the stands, and then calls his Own team “the worst team in MLB”. He’s totally a fantastic teammate and amazing person right? How dare I criticize his behavior.

You can criticize but hope he never plays again? That’s insane…….

More Relievers to HOF! Have you ever played team sports? What exactly about him throwing his gloves in the stands makes him a bad teammate? He made a crappy decision in a heated moment… And tbh… He threw his glove into the crowd… Who cares, someone went home with an awesome souvenir…

And he didn’t exactly say that. You should probably watch the video and you’ll understand there was some language barriers in that interview.

Soooooooooooooooo yeah, you’re being a bit of a drama queen

Why anyone would be mad about a player throwing their glove in the stands is beyond me. Most of us would elbow our moms for a glove

Your son doesn’t grind out 162 game seasons and trains year round get off your high horse and shut up

@kmk agreed. This dude’s son doesn’t grind. Doubt his kid could even throw a glove over the fan net…pathetic. Kid probably isn’t tossing his glove to fans because he doesn’t even have fans to begin with.

I blame the parents.

I blame society.

I blame the Stanford Prison Experiment

I blame the Flat Earth Society.

@kmk Relax. He was disparaging. He was not calling his child a model citizen or anything, so it was an apt comparison to make.

But if we’re going to lack nuance, then… “Your son doesn’t grind out 162 game seasons”, Neither does Lopez. He sits on a bench for 80+ games a season, then throws an inning or two at a time. That is hardly “grinding”. And most players who play more innings and games don’t behave this way, so what’s Lopez’s excuse?

He’s playing for “the worst f#($ing team in baseball”?

@disadvantage Lopez’s excuse for… what, exactly? Being human?

Omigod, that man got upset! Cover the children’s eyes!

Some of you fine lot need to mature—getting upset and speaking honestly are not sins. They’re not even crimes. They don’t warrant shock, outrage, or condemnation.

Might be that this unfamiliarity with human emotion is what causes Americans in general to go from zero to 160 when they show any feeling at all beyond bland geniality.

You must not be a fan of Bryce Harper then, the biggest man-child in all of baseball.

grow up. His kid has bone cancer and he has had two rough years trying to deal with that. You’re half the man he is.

He was smiling the whole time he was getting shelled. Although i agree with him on his comments about the Mets, good luck getting another shot with another team.

Bad team, Worse teammate!

Ah, the clown strikes again! Tell me more about the teams you’ve been on, and now you would deal with your kid having a serious, possibly terminal, cancer!

He has a heavy accent, he said he was the worst teammate…

Not that he shouldn’t have been DFA’d though

He was asked again to clarify and he doubled down and said he probably called the Mets the worst team. The reporter wanted to make sure he didn’t roast the guy over a misspeak/misunderstanding. It was a terrible look for him. I’m not in charge of handing out contracts but if I were I’d be very leery of signing this guy. The glove toss wasn’t a great look, but following it up with no remorse and burying the team was a bridge too far.

Oh god you’re right just saw his full interview. That was the most pathetic and embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen from an athlete

Latrelle Sprewell enters chat

Oh man, you are correct! I’d forgotten about him and PJ. That was so bad…

Nobody outside of NYC tabloids or Dumb Sportsball Fans will get the connection.

Shut up. His kid has cancer and his teammates are a joke.

Remorse is not a thing anymore. Blaming your behavior on someone else or claiming somebody else is worse — now that’s a thing for today.

I’m pretty sure Mendoza would’ve immediately spoken with him as soon as the game was over about the ejection and glove. He probably did and knew the media was going to interview Lopez. All Lopez had to say was “no comment”. Now he’s gone.

Yeah, you have to figure the manager and the PR people both got in his ear before the locker room opened. He’s either crazy or he wanted to get cut. No comment would have worked but even better would have been something like “I just lost my cool, sorry for making a scene”.

Worst teammate on the worst team in Fk’n MLB. Sounds like a true winner.

Shut up. His kid has cancer. The Mets are a team of d-bags. Lopez doesn’t owe them loyalty.

Friedman will pick him up as part of his churn the pen tactics.

Take your chair and sit in the corner, son. I’ll tell you when you can come back.

Can’t help but wonder where this team would be – at least mentally – if Buck was still here.

Idk if that would mean much. This core needs to be dismantled and we need to start over

Buck? “Manager of the Year” for choking away the NL East after they were in first place all summer long? Then got smoked, at home, by San Diego in the wild-card round? Such is the legacy of LOLmets.

According to David Stearns the Mets are a playoff team. Then they are the worst playoff team I’ve ever seen. They are probably the worst Mets team I have ever seen ( been watching them since 1967 ) and they are the most expensive team. LMAO

“They are probably the worst Mets team I have ever seen ( been watching them since 1967 )” In that case I invite you to scan your memory banks for the 1977-1980 Mets. But be warned – make sure you have a rabies vaccine before doing so.

Gomez Toth.

You are probably right but I left NYC for University in Chicago after 1973 and didn’t return until 1982 so I missed those years.

I timed it right lol. Had full Season tickets at Shea from 1987 – 1993 the year I couldn’t take them any more LOL

You got to witness “The Worst Team Money Can Buy”. Who can forget Bret Saberhagen spraying bleach on two reporters in the clubhouse? Or better yet, Bobby Bonilla telling a tabloid writer, “I’ll hurt you. I’ll show you The Bronx.”

I sure did. Tony Fernandez playing poorly to get traded, Vince Coleman firecrackers, Bobby Bonilla wearing earplugs to cancel out the loud booing. The Braves young core taking over the division. The worst of times.

Mets arent going nowhere anyway. They should start selling off whatever small pieces other teams might actually want which probably wont be much. I read in the paper that the owner says they are contenders he must be doing quaaludes.

This has got to be one of the most toxic implosions I have ever seen.

I mean, this team was a 3rd WC team from the start. But as a Mets fan, I am now rooting for 100 losses just to see what happens next.

Cohen’s Clowns.

Probably wanted to see if he could catch a ride with the Dodgers

Baltimore needs bullpen arms. Just sayin….

Literally no one remembers his 2nd stint there last season

“You can’t go home (a 3rd time) again” -Thomas Wolfe

O’s need more good bullpen pieces, not just more bullpen pieces.

Mac – The O’s can have Jansen and Martin by the trade deadline, and they won’t even have to give up much to get them.

Good way to get away from this crappy team and keep his $2 million while being signed by team with actual talent. Smartest guy on the team

This guy went out like the guy in Halfbaked. He’s a hero.

*pointing at teammates* “f you, f you, f you…” *points at slice of NY style pizza* “You’re cool, I’m out!”

No way NY style blows.

3rd stint with the o’s?

Did the Twins break him? he went from all-star closer to broken middle reliever on their watch.

When asked for clarity whether he meant worst as in talent or teammates he said “probably both.”

The LOLMets stuff is overplayed, but they certainly are a disaster. There is just something going on in Queens.

He has an ERA of 3.12. Not sure why Mets fans who claim to want to win would want this guy off the team. He threw a glove yipty doo. Lot of drama over nothing. Fans and ownership trying to blame this guy for the teams problems.

It’s kind of cool that a fan got a glove. It’s not like he threw it to hurt someone. He tossed it over the netting.

VonPurpleHayes,

It was a Yankee Japanese fan there to watch Ohtani who caught the glove.

How you doing?

You know I have been right for years about these Mets.

I know all about the Mets.

Good to see you Robrock. Yanks Phillies WS this year? Let’s do it.

Ok keeping it local Yanks Phillies WS I am good.

I invite you to party with me to watch this.

You think it’s about throwing the glove? LMAO if he just threw his glove nobody would care. It’s about being a terrible teammate and crapping on his own team to the media. Did you not read that part or are you that inept to understand why he was booted off the team?

I watched it live on SNY. Certainly seemed to me he was trying to insult himself and things were misheard, but whatever.

My point wasn’t that he should or shouldn’t be DFAed. I just don’t think he did anything that outrageous. Dude was pissed.

8th inning meltdown + ejected for arguing a checked swing + throw glove over the netting + dis your own ballclub while talking to their TV channel. It’s that last act that got him DFA’d.

@relievers If you’re talking about @blackpink, he thinks Lopez is a good pitcher because his ERA was shiny… except that he was looking at Lopez’s ERA BEFORE he gave up 2 runs in less than an inning (to say nothing of the 2 inherited runs he allowed) and then imploded into a tantrum.

So yes, he is that inept to understand why they booted him off the team.

What’s up with my fellow PR’s just sucking at NY and then complaining about it. Francisco Lindor, Javier Baez and now Lopez. Step up and stop complaining.

How about the Mets stop being an awful organization?

He’s not wrong… the Mets are flat out bad. Even the transactions they made in the offseason leaves me head scratching.

All true, but when your employer is paying you $2m, it might not hurt to have a tiny bit of class

How was he not showing “class?”

Just by asking the question and looking at your user name, I think you might be in the same boat.

Just by being useless to this thread and looking at your username, I think you might have a microphallus.

I would like to go ahead and RSVP as a “no” to your 12th birthday party. I do hope someone gifts you an adult sense of humor though.

“Even the transactions they made in the offseason leaves me head scratching.”

Some of the transactions in-season are head-scratching, too. Sent Butto to the minors (7 starts, 3.08 ERA, 1..132 WHIP, 9 K/9) but kept Adrian Houser (7 starts, 8.55 ERA, 1.782 WHIP, 5.9 K/9) on the roster and let him start another game. Baffling. I get trying to build up Houser’s value but he’s been awful.

Quintana hasn’t been much better, either. Butto being in the minors makes no sense.

It’s just ironic that they desperately need pitching while they traded both Scherzer and Verlander, yet still claimed they wanted to compete. They could have kept one of them. Trading both was waving a white flag, as they did not get a lot of MLB ready talent back.

The entire point of the trades was to “buy” prospects. It made sense then and makes sense now.

I think this goes back 2 years ago. They let Bassit and Walker go. Walker isn’t great, but the Mets could certainly use him. I was baffled when they let both go.

It didn’t make sense for the Mets to trade both Scherzer and Verlander when they were still trying to compete. They were set up to win, despite having a bad year. They tore it all up.

I guess if it was a full rebuild it would have made sense, but they should have traded Alonso and Lindor if that were the case and not resigned Nimmo.

I didn’t see a consistent motive behind their moves.

It was a soft reset, if you will. They were able to restock their farm at the cost of only money. Then they signed a bunch of one-year deals to possibly compete. If you ignore the luxury tax (which Cohen has done), it makes perfect sense. Stearns will sell off pieces again at the deadline if the Mets are out of it. They’ll spend again in this upcoming free agent market which is much better than the previous one.

The problem now is, their entire core isn’t doing well. Diaz could be a huge bust if he doesn’t come back around. Same can be said about McNeil. Lindor is having a bad year, but I could see him bouncing back.

So, while it was smart to restock the farm, I think they need a bigger rebuild than they thought before they can just plug in FA signings.

McNeil has always been overrated. He was another guy they could’ve shipped while his value was high.

@VonPurpleHayes Agreed, now that we can see how their season is going. Cohen isn’t going to maintain another $300MM payroll for a sub .500 team.

He’ll be alright. He still has that sitcom on tv with his kids.

That post game Lopez interview had to be one of the most awkward and confusing media scrums in recent memory. The dude seemed defeated and apathetic. The Mets are in a bad place right now, and I can’t see an MLB team giving Lopez anything more than a minor league deal right now.

Classic Mets. Although I think the Angels and Rockies might even be worse organizations than them

To his defense Marte made a piss poor effort of an attempt in RF when he was pitching. Lopez looked unhappy about it

Dollar Tree David and Mendunce strike again. Looks like I was right again. I said the Mets would win at most 72 games before the season started. Lets see if guys like OldDerbyBastard, Robrock, or Von finally admit they were wrong

I didn’t have the Mets being good. But I said I wouldn’t be shocked if they were. I saw them competing for that last wild card spot, which to be fair, they still are. It’s not even June yet. I saw the Mets in the 75-80 range. They can still do that.

You can’t be referring to me as I have been preaching how bad the Mets are to anyone who listens.

For the record I am always right except for one time I was wrong about Ryne Sandberg who Dallas Green brought to the Cubs from the Phillies and proclaimed him a future HOF.

He was right of course but prior to being the Cubs GM he was in charge of the Phils system.

These ads are annoying and bad placement

As a Mets fan I agree with him. This team is pathetic. They all need to go. We were just as well off with the Wilpons. It’s a clown show and now we added Bozo the Stearns to the mix.

Jerry Stearns and Steve Costanza make this team resemble a comedy act, not a professional baseball team

False reporting. Lopez clearly calls himself the “worst teammate”. He does not say worst team. Listen again and fix your fake report.

It’s not how the majority of the mainstream media are reporting it, and as you’d be well aware the media are ALWAYS right about a whole range of topics.

That’ll fix things.

Didn’t Jason Vargas do something similar in an interview where he nearly came to blows with a reporter during an interview and was traded away soon after?

Time to return to Baltimore – the only place he and his family have ever felt comfortable. The dude is under huge stress over his son’s health and he made it clear they wanted to stay. Not saying he’ll find 98 again but worth a minor league contract and see if Os can work their magic to resurrect his career.

Truly bizarre behavior. I remember when he pitched for the Royals, and he wasn’t very good. But I’m sure he was considered a really good teammate.

Must End The Season

I make 2 predictions probably both of them wrong, but who cares this is the internet. 1. Lopez is lights out the rest of the season for whoever picks him up. 2. This is the kick in the pants the Mets need and start to play actual baseball.

Just trade everyone now before they get hurt or do something like this

Phillies should sign him— instant fan favorite

“The Orioles controversially traded Lopez at the 2022 All Star break.” What in the world does that mean? Felix Bautista was waiting in the wings. They were offered the Twins best starting pitching prospect (Povich) who’s now the best starter inthe IL. Cano, who was a solid reliever on the Cuban National team and was an AL All Star 11 months later. And…two international pitching prospects who are looking very good. Where is the controversy, except on the Twins side. Predictably Jorge was back with the Os a year later and watch them give him another shot (which they should).

The O’s were squarely in the hunt for a wild card spot in 2022 after losing at least 108 each in 2021, 2019, and 2018. The fans did not want to break up the good vibes. Of course, no one could have foreseen it work out for them like this.

Orioles had gone into the All-star break that year on a big winning streak. They were squarely in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. Hindsight is 20-20, but they traded Lopez when he had a 238 ERA+ and had the potential to go on a run. They had a rough September which led to them falling out of contention, but if you go back and look at the comments on the article when they did trade him, there was a non-insignificant amount of fans not too pleased with the move.

The comments on the Orioles blog were mixed. Everything else you say is false. The Orioles were .500 at the AS break and on 8.2 when Lopez was traded and 4 games over afterwards. They were behind 8 other teams at the AS break and passed 2 of them in September. Longest losing streak in September was 3. And they went on a run immediately after trading Jorge, going 19-9 in the first 28 games.

Bautista was the de facto closer after Lopez lost an extra inning game a week before the deadline. Jorge had recovered from a disastrous June earlier in July and his trade value was peaking.

Elias traded Jorge because of the package. He wanted Cano, but coveted Povich. Only bad GMs make trades with one year in their heads. Elias has built a team exploiting bad GMs.

Os fans fell into 3 camps in 2021-22, AA (after Adley): (1) we’re getting there, go for it now, (2) look at the farm, we’ll be great in 2023 or 2024, think about that and (3) trust in Mike and Sig. Pretty much everyone’s been in Camp 3 since the 2022 off season.

I swear that the O’s were only like 2 or 3 games out of a Wild Card when they traded Lopez on August 2nd. That might be my mistake.

3 behind, in 8th. Not really the point. Bautista had a 1.3 ERA and was striking out nearly half of the batters he faced. Jorge was a closer to the market, a depth guy for the Os (Tate was good in 2022 and Baker and Krehbiel was in the mix. It was the package. Jorge had real value. But not enough to pass on Povich, Cano and two solid young intl prospects.

My primary point was that the MLR and fan focus on the deadline as buying and selling proven talent in neat categories like team “buyers” and “sellers” is silly. But GMs are addicted to it, too. You would think the Mancini and Lopez 2022 deals would cure the addiction, but it’s obviously not as simple as it should be.

There were a non insignificant amount of Os fans back then?

At the time I was mad as an Os fan. The Mancini deal seemed good but I didn’t like anything about the Lopez deal, especially when you consider the Os were in the mix. I was very wrong. That was a tremendous trade by Elias.

By best starter in the IL is that shorthand for the Injured List? Illinois? Or the Indian league?

I assume International League

Aha. Kinda like IHOP

At least Lopez threw the glove to a better pitcher.

5.36 career ERA. I know the Mets are in a bad way right now, but this isn’t the guy to get self-righteous

The red mist claims another victim. Probably” might have been a bad choice when it comes to clarification. Good luck Jorge.

I’ve felt bad for this guy and Trey Mancini. Orioles got some really good young arms. These 2 guys careers really crashed and burned since then.

You’re a bad pitcher on the worst team in MLB. Enjoy oakland!

Oakland has a better record than Mets and they did NOT have to spend much to do it.

Maybe the Angels.

He took a different way of saying “Trade Me”

You know what they say, if you’re a knucklehead who is a good player, then a lot can be forgiven. However, if you’re a knucklehead who is only a marginal player, that combination is ripe for a DFA or a release.

What a great way to stage an escape

He’s not a knucklehead though. His kid has cancer and he was on a team full of d-bags.

At least the Dave Kingman wannabee didn’t sign the 150+ million dollar deal. Don’t think the mets have any bad contracts. Can be good in 3 years

Liberalsteve Can be good in 3 years ============================== The team has a 2024 payroll of $344M, and a CBT of $94M, and they might be good in three years?

That is just plain ugly.

as a mets fan, we are used to these garbage, on and off the field. this organization has a storied history of being losers.

what i find is why the rest of baseball is so happy to pile on. do know how much effort it takes to stick with a team that constantly disappoints and embarrasses its fans?

youd think that fans of teams, maybe outside of the braves/phillies/yankees would have some sympathy. but nope, everyone loves to crap all over us suffering fans. i pesonally always routed for the sox and cubs, because i could identify with them.

On another weird Mets matter……did Met fans think it was odd that Antoine Richardson gave the out signal to the 1st base ump on Chapmans game ending play against the Giants ?

I was a bit stunned as a viewer. Did he forget what jersey he was wearing ?

Forgiveness. Guy messed up, still deserves a second chance. A few teams could use him.

People earn a second chance only when they take responsibility for messing up. Admit you done wrong, apologize sincerely and accept responsibility and the consequences. That earns you a second chance, no one has a right to a second chance in my opinion unless they take responsibility for their errors. A second chance should be about being better when faced with similar situations. I don’t buy “just boys being boys”, “heat of the moment”, or other lame excuses. As the blues group Safire used to sing “fess up when you mess up, it’s no time to lie”. Unfortunately, I realize that my opinion is a minority opinion when I look around America today.

He has a kid undergoing cancer treatment…

Best sports ‘highlight’ of the year in 2024, it will be hard to beat.

Lopez came in with men on base and tried a pick off to 3rd but Baty wasn’t ready for it. That set the tone pretty good…

He clearly said teammate. I guess he shouldve just gotten an interpreter, no pun intended

O’s turned him and some greenbacks into Cano, Povich, and 2 decent pitching prospects at 2021 deadline. Definition of Great Trade.

Povich? They should have held out for Springer. Or Judge (Judy)

When keeping it real goes wrong

He should play for the Jets next

Welcome to Atlanta, Jorge.

Not “clearly” at all.

Pretty rich coming from a guy with a career ERA of nearly 5 and a half.

Who was an all star in 2022 and has a sub-4 this year

Oh, c’mon, the Mets are the 5th worst team in MLB. Worst team is the ChiSox. Clearly, the guy doesn’t check the standings.

That glove worked on his hand like a Charm. Then he threw it away to Minnesota.

Might as well take a flier on Baur. It’s already a circus!

Dude has a career 5.42 ERA and 1.48 WHIP and has been in the league 10 seasons. That is impressive.

The Mets should keep him as a punishment.

They should trade Lindor because the Mets will suck for many years and he can’t carry a team

The Mets continue to implode. And it is delicious

Royals should bring him back

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