Orioles & Ravens Transactions Tracker

40-man roster

The pool of players a club controls at the major league level: the 26 on the active roster plus those on optional assignment in the minors. Most players must be on it to play in the majors.

Option

Sends a player on the 40-man roster to the minor leagues without exposing him to waivers. He stays on the 40-man roster and can be recalled later, generally after a minimum stay unless he replaces an injured player.

Recall

Brings a player who is already on the 40-man roster up from the minors to the major league club.

Selecting a contract

Adds a player who is not on the 40-man roster to it, and to the active roster. It usually requires another move to clear a 40-man spot.

Designated for assignment (DFA)

Immediately removes a player from the 40-man roster. The club then has seven days to trade him, release him or place him on waivers.

Outright assignment

Sends a player off the 40-man roster to the minors after he clears waivers. Depending on service time and history, some players can reject it and become free agents instead.

Injured list (10-, 15- and 60-day)

Opens an active roster spot for an injured player. Only the 60-day injured list also frees a spot on the 40-man roster.

Minor league contract

Signs a player to the organization without adding him to the 40-man roster, often with an invitation to major league spring training.

Waived

Players with fewer than four accrued seasons go through waivers when they are cut, so any other team can claim them. Unclaimed players become free agents.

Practice squad

Players who practice with the team but are not on the 53-man roster. Other teams can sign them to their active rosters.

Practice squad elevation

A temporary game-day promotion. The player reverts to the practice squad afterward without going through waivers, and each player can only be elevated a limited number of times per season.

Injured reserve (IR)

A player placed on injured reserve during the season must miss at least four games. Teams get a limited number of designations to bring players back each year.

Designated to return

Lets a player on injured reserve resume practicing, which opens a 21-day window for the team to activate him.

Physically unable to perform (PUP)

A list for players still recovering from football injuries. Players on it don't count against the roster limit.