- Designate for Assignment (DFA)
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.
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.
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What Does Designated for Assignment Mean?
- If a player is designated for assignment, he is removed from the 40-man roster.
- The team has seven days to trade the player or place him on outright waivers.
Like all professional sports, baseball is a game of amazing highs and, for many, some not-so-amazing lows. There are a lot of incredibly talented players and only so many spots on a roster, so if someone isn’t performing, they likely won’t be around for long.
When a player is designated for assignment, often shortened to DFA’d, they are removed from the team’s 40-man roster. From there, the team has seven days to trade the player to another team or place him on irrevocable outright waivers. It’s not a place where players ever want to find themselves, but as teams move through the season and tighten up their rosters for the baseball playoffs , we often see underperformers get DFA’d to make space for new players.
Corey Dickerson says being "Designated For Assignment" by the #Rays "Was hard to stomach"and "Embarrassing". pic.twitter.com/5eskhXIXZg — Kevin ODonnell Fox13 (@ODonnellFox13) February 27, 2018
Irrevocable Outright Waivers
If a player has been designated for assignment, he must be either traded to another team or placed on irrevocable outright waivers within seven days.
Outright waivers allow a team to remove a player from their 40-man roster, either to cut ties with the player entirely or to send him down to the minors when he doesn’t have any options. The process allows the 29 other MLB teams to claim the player as their own if they want to add him to their roster.
Should another team want to claim the player off waivers, the new team must take responsibility for the remaining money owed to the player and immediately add him to their 40-man roster. The team can assign the player to the minor leagues, assuming he still has minor league options available, or add him to their 26-man roster.
If another team has not claimed the player after 47 hours, he is considered to have cleared waivers. Once this happens, the designating team can send the player outright to the minor leagues or release his contract. If a player has more than three years of service in the major leagues, or if he has previously been outrighted in his career, he can reject the outright option and instead enter free agency.
Players Who Were Designated for Assignment
While being designated for assignment is a long way from flattering, it’s not necessarily the end of a player’s career. Many players have been DFA’d and come back bigger and better than ever, while others have struggled to find their place in the game.
David Ortiz
Long before Big Papi was a ten-time All-Star and World Series MVP in the Hall of Fame, he hit rock bottom with the Minnesota Twins.
On Dec. 17, 2002, the Twins designated Ortiz for assignment to make room on the roster for shortstop José Morban. Having already battled a long list of injuries, the future was uncertain for the star designated hitter.
Just a month later, on Jan. 22, 2003, Ortiz signed a non-guaranteed free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox that would be worth $1.25 million if he made the team, and the rest is history.
Designated for Assignment ➡️ @baseballhall @davidortiz did what many would consider impossible 💫 #HOFWKND pic.twitter.com/5wINIGmOyA — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 24, 2022
Liam Hendriks
Chicago White Sox closer Hendriks was designated for assignment a few times in the early years of his career.
The Minnesota Twins DFA’d Hendriks on Dec. 5, 2013, and he was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs.
He was then reclaimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles, who then DFA’d him on Feb. 19, 2014, before he’d even played a game, to make room for Ubaldo Jiménez on the active roster.
Hendriks ended up with the Toronto Blue Jays, who traded him to the Kansas City Royals on July 28, 2014. The pitcher was designated for assignment again on Oct. 24, only to be claimed by the Blue Jays for a second stint and traded to the Oakland Athletics on Nov. 20, 2015.
Congrats to Liam Hendriks on #100 pic.twitter.com/8eLHPvuqfs — Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) August 6, 2022
Now a three-time All-Star named the American League’s Reliever of the Year in 2020 and 2021, it’s hard to believe Hendriks hasn’t always been the essential closer he is with the White Sox.
Sometimes it just takes a minute to find the right team.
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Definition of designate
(Entry 1 of 2)
Definition of designate (Entry 2 of 2)
transitive verb
Example Sentences
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'designate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback .
Word History
Adjective and Verb
Latin designatus , past participle of designare — see design entry 1
1629, in the meaning defined above
1596, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Phrases Containing designate
designate as
- pre - designate
Dictionary Entries Near designate
designatable
Cite this Entry
“Designate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/designate. Accessed 3 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
Kids definition of designate, more from merriam-webster on designate.
Nglish: Translation of designate for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of designate for Arabic Speakers
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Question: What does designated for assignment mean in Major League Baseball?
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What Does Designated For Assignment Mean in Baseball? Explained
- May 30, 2021
Remember the time when you looked at a baseball player’s profile and saw ‘designated for assignment.’ At that point, it made you curious as to what could be the meaning of this phrase. Therefore, what does designated for assignment mean in baseball?
Also abbreviated as ‘DFA,’ designated for assignment means that the club immediately removed the player from the 40-man roster. Therefore, the team now has an open slot for another player. MLB teams will have, at most, seven days to decide their next step for the DFAed player.
How does DFA work in MLB? Also, what happens to these players who have the DFA status? Are these baseball athletes going to be optioned?
Table of Contents
What Does Designated for Assignment Mean in MLB?
The official definition of the designated for assignment (DFA) states that it’s a status when aA player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the 40-man roster. If he is placed on irrevocable waivers, he would be traded or released. If a player is claimed off waivers by another team, he is immediately added to their 40-man roster.
The DFAed player can then be assigned to their Minor Leagues or released if he clears waivers. This option can be utilized to clear a roster spot for a player who has been claimed off the 40-man roster.
How Does Designated for Assignment Work?
Being DFAed in MLB is akin to being in limbo. In other words, if a player has a DFA next to his name in a baseball report, the team or the league doesn’t allow that player to return playing until officiating staff decides their next step. At this point, league officials, including club managers, can decide whether to put the player on waivers, trade him, or release the individual.
Players on Waivers
A player is placed on waivers once he has been designated for assignment. He is then required to clear waivers and be sent to a minor league club. Nonetheless, the player can still earn from playing minor leagues as he’s still following his contract’s terms.
Players Up for Trades
When a player is designated for transfer, he may be traded once the team that designated him for assignment signs him to a new contract. One example is Brian Shouse from the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers placed Shouse in DFA in May 2006. Four days later, the team traded Shouse for another player in the Milwaukee Brewers. The only way the Brewers would have been able to trade Shouse was if he was placed on waivers. According to the rules, the other American League teams would have preferred to claim him.
Players Released
If a player clears waivers, he is free to sign with any team in the Major Leagues. The team that released him is responsible for the salary he is owed, as well as the team that signed him. At this point, the player will become a free agent, which means he can now sign up with any of the 30 MLB teams. The individual may also decide to return to the team that released him. However, it’s still up to the club if they want to welcome the released baseball player .
Players Placed in DFA
It can be disheartening when a player sees the dreaded DFA next to his name in an MLB report. However, not every case of being DFAed can be worrisome. Take a look at a couple of the examples of DFAed players in MLB history.
Chris Gimenez
Gimenez has been a DFA four times in his career. He has also spent time in the minors. His experiences in this matter vary for each instance. During his 3rd time being DFAed, Gimenez said the following:
"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.”
Chris Young
Chris Young, the former outfielder of the Angels, has been in DFA by the Mets in August 2014. The club released him, allowing Young to become a free agent. He then signed up with the Yankees, providing him with another chance at recovering his career.
What Happens When a Baseball Player is Optioned?
Although quite similar, DFA and option in baseball are different. If a club decides to DFA a player, the team will have ten days to trade, release, or waive him. On the other hand, optioning a player will send the athlete to the minors directly.
A player on a 40-man roster is given three Minor League options. The first two are assigned to the Minor Leagues, and the third is sent to the majors. Players who are on the 40-man roster but not on the 25-man roster or the injured list are required to be optioned to the Minors. Each time a player is optioned to the minors, he loses his only remaining option.
Those who have accrued less than five years are eligible for a fourth option year if their three options have already been exhausted. Players placed on the disabled list must stay on the Minor Leagues for a minimum of 10 days. If a player is summoned to the Major Leagues for a game or an injury, he or she must stay in the Minors for 15 days.
A player’s option years can be used in succession. Players with fewer than five years of service time can be optioned to the minor leagues.
Final Words
Designated for assignment or DFA occurs when a player is placed on the disabled list with a designation for assignment. The player is immediately removed from the 40-man roster. At this point, the club has different ways to deal with the matter, which are putting the athlete on a waiver, trading him, or releasing the individual for him to become a free agent.
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Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball . When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster . This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another transaction, if needed. After designating a player for assignment, the club must make one of the following contractual moves.
Place the player on waivers
Typically a player is placed on waivers after being designated for assignment for the purpose of outrighting him to one of the club's minor league teams. However, a player must clear waivers (that is, no other team may place a waiver claim on the player) to be sent to a minor league team. Also, if the player has five or more full years of major league service, he must give consent to be assigned to the minors. If the player withholds consent, the team must either release him or keep him on the major league roster. In either case, the player must continue to be paid under the terms of his contract.
Trade the player
Once a player is designated for assignment, he may be traded. Some teams have been known to designate players for assignment to increase interest in the player, especially among teams that are not at the top of the list for waivers. For example, in May 2006, Rangers reliever Brian Shouse was designated for assignment, and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers 4 days later. The Brewers could have waited until Shouse was placed on waivers so they would not have had to give up a player in a trade, but according to the waiver rules , the other 13 AL teams would have preference in claiming him. Also, under the "five and ten rule," if a player has ten years of Major League service, the last five of which with his current team, he cannot be traded without his consent.
Release the player
If a player is not traded, and clears waivers, he may be released from the team. The player is then a free agent and is able to sign with any of the 30 Major League teams, including the team that just released him. The team that releases him is responsible for the salary the player is owed, less what he is paid by the team that signs him.
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Definition 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.
Designated for assignment 1 language Article Talk Read Edit View history Oliver Drake was designated for assignment multiple times during the 2018 season, during which he pitched for five different teams. [1] Designated for assignment ( DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). [2]
While being designated for assignment is a long way from flattering, it’s not necessarily the end of a player’s career. Many players have been DFA’d and come back bigger and better than ever, while others have struggled to find their place in the game. David Ortiz
designated; designating transitive verb 1 : to indicate and set apart for a specific purpose, office, or duty designate a group to prepare a plan 2 a : to point out the location of a marker designating the battle b : to distinguish as to class (see class entry 1 sense 3) the area we designate as that of spiritual values J. B. Conant c
designate verb [ T ] us / ˈdez·ɪɡˌneɪt / to choose someone or something for a special job or purpose, or to state that something has a particular character or purpose: The chairman designated his daughter as his successor. North-south streets are designated by numbers. designated adjective [ not gradable ] us / ˈdez·ɪɡˌneɪ·t̬ɪd /
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club’s 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another transaction, if needed.
The official definition of the designated for assignment (DFA) states that it’s a status when aA player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the 40-man roster. If he is placed on irrevocable waivers, he would be traded or released. If a player is claimed off waivers by another team, he is immediately added to their 40 ...
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another transaction, if needed.