rule changes for rosters in 2021

[djoctagone]

further clarification on removing replacement players from the 40-man roster after original active roster players placed on the special covid-19 related injured list during an outbreak are cleared to return to the 40-man: it's my understanding that in bypassing outright waivers, it does not become an outright assignment. thus, service time of five years or more and/or having already accepted an outright assignment previously should have no bearing on that player's ability to refuse being reassigned to the minor leagues again.

 

and, because it's not an outright assignment, it will not count as having already accepted an outright assignment in a player's career. remember, when a player clears outright waivers for the first time in his career to be assigned to the minor leagues, he cannot refuse the assignment. but any subsequent attempt to outright a player who clears waivers allows the player to become a free agent if he so chooses.

 

i'm drawing these conclusions because mlb has specifically stated that outright waivers are not required to return a covid-19 replacement player to the minor leagues. by making it a point to not call it an outright assignment, they're clearly stating that the rules are different. i'll be paying attention to the roster status of the washington nationals replacement players to see if i'm wrong on this.

nine players who were set to open the season with the nationals were placed on the injured list today for unspecified reasons (a 10th player, will harris, went on the injured list, but for right hand inflammation). of the nine replacements, seven were recalled (i.e. already on the 40-man roster). one (cody wilson) was on a minor league contract at the alternate training site and had his contract selected. the other (jonathan lucroy) was a minor league free agent and signed with the club.

 

the nationals roster is at 33 players, with nine set to be added back to the roster once they clear covid testing. pay attention to cody wilson and jonathan lucroy moving forward if they are removed from the nationals' 26-man roster.

[djoctagone]

four nationals players were removed from the special covid-19 related injured list and returned to the active roster. three were optioned. the fourth, cody wilson (who was not on the 40-man roster prior to the outbreak), is listed as being returned to the nationals alternate training site. no outrighting, just a return.

 

as suspected, it's not an outright assignment.

[djoctagone]

the trade deadline this year will be 3:00 pm ct on 30 july, not 31 july.

[RWeeksFan23]

Why? What does the one day difference change?

[djoctagone]

i went to the effort to link to my source. the rationale for the change is explained in the source.

[djoctagone]

the change to not require outright waivers during a covid outbreak is pretty significant. it basically allows the brewers to yo-yo any player back and forth (or possibly, only a player in the team's cpp) without having to worry about putting him on outright waivers to return him to the minor leagues.

 

for example, with a covid outbreak, the club could bring up non-roster players such as jace peterson, jordan zimmermann and payton henry to replace players on the special covid-19 injured list. they get added to the 40-man, taking up the spots vacated by the covid-19 players. when the covid-19 players are activated, the club can just return those replacements to the minor leagues and remove them from the 40-man roster without exposing them to another team to claim.

when a player is placed on the special covid-19 injured list, he surrenders his 40-man spot, just like being placed on the 60-day injured list.

 

however, a single player going on the special covid-19 list (i.e. corbin burnes) is not an outbreak, and thus, any non-roster replacement player would be subject to outright waivers if removed from the 40-man upon the return of corbin burnes.

[djoctagone]

also unknown by this writer for 2021: as the brewers are likely to open camp with more than one player on the injured list, how are minor league rehab appearances defined?

 

it had been 20 days for position players, and 30 days for pitchers--but that was within the framework of championship minor league play. we now know that there won't be any official minor league games until may, at the earliest.

with the minor league season officially starting tomorrow, rehab assignments can start. players on rehab assignments do not count against minor league roster limits.

[djoctagone]

minor league rehabilitation assignments have started! limit of 20 days for position players and 30 days for pitchers . . . so not a rule change from 2019.

[djoctagone]

there are more hurdles to clear to promote a player at class aa (or lower) straight to the major leagues this year. at present, all brewers players on optional assignment are currently with class aaa nashville, so promoting from that level will be less restrictive.

[djoctagone]

--doubleheaders will consist of two seven-inning games. will mlb allow for a 27th man through september?

the answer is yes. the brewers will be able to add any player as their 27th man tomorrow, provided he's on the 40-man roster.

[djoctagone]

new rules on foreign substances start monday. notable for this thread, if a player is found in violation and is suspended, the club cannot replace him on their active roster during his suspension.

[young guns]

new rules on foreign substances start monday. notable for this thread, if a player is found in violation and is suspended, the club cannot replace him on their active roster during his suspension.

Now that sounds like an actual severe punishment and an incentive for teams to actually police themselves.

[djoctagone]

the trade deadline this year will be 3:00 pm ct on 30 july, not 31 july.

that's a week and some minutes away.

[jerichoholicninja]

With only two extra roster spots in September are teams still able to call up and send down those two extra spots or are they locked in for the month?

[Outlander]

Players can still be optioned up and down if they have any left or DFA.

[BruisedCrew]

Players can still be optioned up and down if they have any left or DFA.

 

Would that still be subject to the usual 10 day mandatory stay (except to replace an injury) or could they add anyone from the 40 man roster at will.

[jerichoholicninja]

Players can still be optioned up and down if they have any left or DFA.

 

Would that still be subject to the usual 10 day mandatory stay (except to replace an injury) or could they add anyone from the 40 man roster at will.

 

This is kind of where I was going. I would assume those rules would all still apply. If they don't then cutting down the size of expanded rosters makes no difference at all if players can just be constantly shuffled back and forth off the active roster.

[djoctagone]

Players can still be optioned up and down if they have any left or DFA.

Would that still be subject to the usual 10 day mandatory stay (except to replace an injury) or could they add anyone from the 40 man roster at will.

10-day requisite stay will be in effect in september, unless replacing a player placed on the injured list or a temporary leave list.

[BruisedCrew]

Players can still be optioned up and down if they have any left or DFA.

 

Would that still be subject to the usual 10 day mandatory stay (except to replace an injury) or could they add anyone from the 40 man roster at will.

 

This is kind of where I was going. I would assume those rules would all still apply. If they don't then cutting down the size of expanded rosters makes no difference at all if players can just be constantly shuffled back and forth off the active roster.

 

The one difference it would make is preventing teams from having 15 guys in the bullpen for every game. At least the 3 batter minimum would cut down on the ridiculous number of pitching changes that used to take place in September games.

[brewtank34]

So who's going to be our Corbin Burnes and Woodruff of 2018 come playoffs as our middle relief studs? Any possibility of Ashby/Small being those guys?

[nate82]

So who's going to be our Corbin Burnes and Woodruff of 2018 come playoffs as our middle relief studs? Any possibility of Ashby/Small being those guys?

 

Small has to be added to the 40-man I believe. Also both Ashby and Small are on innings and pitch limits. I am not sure they will be available once September comes.

 

Maybe Ashby but I don't think Small will be.

[djoctagone]

appreciate this thread staying on track for roster management rules, and not discussion of specific roster and/or non-roster players. there are plenty of other threads for that.

[djoctagone]

--doubleheaders will consist of two seven-inning games. will mlb allow for a 27th man through september?

the answer is yes.

if the brewers play any regular season doubleheaders in september or october, they will be able to activate a 29th man.

[djoctagone]

check that on the 29th man . . . apparently for the second game only.