MLB Designated for Assignment Explained

As we move further into the MLB offseason, more teams will have to make decisions as to which players they'd like to keep around, and which ones they don't think can contribute to their franchise.

One move teams can make is to designate a player's contract for assignment. Here's exactly what that means, and what teams have done so thus far.

When an MLB team DFA's a player, that player is immediately removed from the franchise's 40-man roster. Then, within seven days of the DFA transaction, the player can either be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers, where any MLB team can claim and add him to their 40-man rosters.

If the player passes through the waivers without being claimed, he can be sent straight to the Minor Leagues, unless he has more than three years of Major League service, at which point he has the option to be released to free agency.

However, that same team is still responsible for whatever else is left on the player's contract, which is why the Miami Marlins are still on the hook for an astronomical $22 million for Wei-Yin Chen next season, who was DFA'd Wednesday and will likely clear waivers, paving his path towards free agency.

The Marlins' pockets are definitely going to hurt from paying Chen all that money without any sort of return, but they felt it was the necessary move for them to make.

The New York Yankees also chose to DFA Greg Bird and Nester Cortes Jr., most likely ending their stints with the Yankees.

As the offseason progresses, we'll continue to see MLB teams choose to DFA certain players, as was the case today.