What does it mean to be designated for assignment?

Question

When a player is designated for assignment (in MLB), what does that mean? Are they sent down to the minors?

Answer 1

"Designated for Assignment" means they are released from the 40-man roster, and are usually placed on waivers, which means any other team has the right to claim him. If nobody claims him, he is sent down to the minors, or released, or whatever his team wants to do with him.

A player can also simply be sent down to the minors, but kept on the 40-man roster, which means he is not placed on waivers.

"Designated for Assignment" is basically a nice way of saying "We don't want you anymore, and we don't really care if somebody else wants to claim you off the scrap heap."

Answer 2

who knows

Answer 3

Basically it means "You are Fired."  The player has been put on waivers and will be moved from the club one way or another.  He might be traded or just released.

Answer 4

It means they're sent down... usually to AAA for the time being

Answer 5

They are sent down to the minors for like rehab. They will work on something and then come back into the majors.

Answer 6

yes