The Temporarily Inactive List is essentially an in-season excused Leave of Absence. Only minor league players (including players on Optional Assignment to the minors) can be placed on this list. Because there is no Paternity Leave or Bereavement List in the minors, minor league players who leave their team as a result of an illness or death in the player's family or while attending the birth of a child are usually placed on the club's Temporarily Inactive List.
A player on the Temporarily Inactive List does not count against his club's Active List, but he does count against the club's Reserve List. (If a minor league club's Reserve List is full, a player who ordinarily would have been placed on the Temporarily Inactive List can be placed on the Restricted List instead, but placing a player on the Restricted List does require the approval of the MLB Commissioner). A player cannot be placed on the Temporarily Inactive List any earlier than the start of the minor league regular season, the player must remain on the Temporarily Inactive List for at least three days, and a player on the Temporarily Inactive List must be reinstated after the conclusion of his club's season. A player normally is not paid while on the Temporarily Inactive List (club option).