Image
Waivers must be secured before certain types of transactions can be completed.
There are two types of waivers (Outright Assignment Waivers and Outright Release Waivers).
NOTE: Optional Assignment Waivers were eliminated beginning with the 2017 season, and Trade Assignment Waivers have been eliminated beginning with the 2019 season.
Each type of waivers has a special set of rules that apply.
MLB WAIVER LIST
The MLB waiver list is transmitted at 2 PM (Eastern) every business day.
Generally speaking, every day is an MLB business day during Spring Training and the MLB Regular Season, but Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays (Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday) and weekdays between Christmas Day and New Year's Day are not considered MLB business days during the off-season and sometimes over the last weekend of Spring Training (but only if MLB Opening Day falls on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday). So the MLB waiver list is transmitted at 2 PM (Eastern) Monday through Friday ONLY (not including national holidays that fall on a weekday and the weekdays between Christmasd Day and New Year's Day) during the off-season and (sometimes) over the final week of Spring Training. Also, the MLB Commissioner may add additional holidays and non-business days to the MLB off-season (TBA).
If a club requests a waiver prior to the 2 PM (Eastern) deadline, the waiver request is transmitted that day. If the waiver is requested after 2 PM (Eastern), the waiver request will not be transmitted until the next business day. Any of the other 29 MLB clubs can make a claim while the player is on waivers, and then at 1 PM (Eastern) on the second business day after the waivers are requested the MLB office determines if any claims were made, and if so, which club is awarded the claim.
RESTRICTIONS ON MAKING WAIVER CLAIMS
1. A club can place no more than seven players on waivers per day.
2. A player on an Injured List cannot be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers during Spring Training, and a player on an Injured List cannot be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers during the MLB regular season until he is both eligible to be reinstated from the Injured List and healthy enough to play.
3. Neither Outright Assignment Waivers nor Outright Release Waivers can be requested on a player while he is on the Paternity List, Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, Military List, Suspended List, Disqualified List, or Ineligible List.
4. Outright Release Waivers (but NOT Outright Assignment Waivers) may be requested on a player while he is on the Voluntary Retired List.
5. A player can be optioned to the minors while he is on waivers, but a player cannot be traded, sent outright to the minors, or sent on a Minor League Rehab Assignment while he is on waivers.
6. If a club requests Outright Release Waivers while a player is on Outright Assignment Waivers, the Outright Release waiver request will automatically void the Outright Assignment waiver request.