Outright Assignment Waivers

If a club wishes to remove a player from its MLB Reserve List (40-man roster) and send the player to the minors, the club must first secure Outright Assignment Waivers.
CoViD-19 EXCEPTION: A minor league player added temporarily to an MLB Active List roster to replace a player who has been placed on the CoViD-19 IL can be removed from the club's MLB Active List roster and returned to the AAA affiliate's roster without having to be placed on waivers.  

Outright Assignment Waivers can generally be requested anytime in a given waiver period, and they are always irrevocable. 

The waiver price is $50,000 (formerly $20,000). 

Once secured, Outright Assignment Waivers remain in effect for a set period of time:

1. Seven days or until the end of the waiver period (whichever comes first) for Outright Assignment Waivers secured September 1st through the 30th day of the MLB regular season:

2. The entire waiver period for Outright Assignment Waivers secured starting on the 31st day of the MLB regular season through August 31st.

3. 72 hours if the player is on Optional Assignment to the minors or on a Disabled List.

A club does not have to outright a player to the minors after Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured.

RESTRICTIONS ON PLACING A PLAYER ON OUTRIGHT ASSIGNMENT WAIVERS: 

If Outright Assignment Waivers have been secured and are in effect, a player cannot be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers again until the final two days of the waiver period.

Beginning in 2019, if a player is claimed off Outright Assignment Waivers during the period of time beginning with the first day of Spring Training (the date pitchers & catchers report) through the final game of the MLB regular season, the player cannot be placed back onto Outright Assignment Waivers again for at least 48 hours or until he has spent at least one day on the claiming club's MLB Active List (whichever comes first), and if a player is claimed off Outright Assignment Waivers during the off-season (the period of time beginning with the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season up until the first day of Spring Training), the player cannot be placed back onto Outright Assignment Waivers again for at least seven days. 

A player who has a "no trade" right (full or partial) must waive his "no trade" right before he can be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers.

PLAYERS ON CUBS MLB RESERVE LIST WITH "NO-TRADE" RIGHTS: (updated 6-16-2023)
Ian Happ, OF (full) 
Seiya Suzuki, OF (full) 
Dansby Swanson, INF (full) 
Jameson Taillon, RHP (partial)

Outright Assignment Waivers cannot be requested while a player is on an MLB Paternity Leave List, Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List, Military List, Restricted List, Suspended List, Temporarily Inactive List, Voluntary Retired List, Ineligible List, or Disqualified List.   

INJURED PLAYERS 

1. If a player on an MLB or minor league Injured List is placed on Outright Assignment Waivers during the MLB regular season, he must be both eligible to be reinstated from the Injured List and healthy enough to play. If waivers are secured, the player must be reinstated from the Injured List within 72 hours. If a player on an MLB Injured List is placed on Outright Assignment Waivers after the conclusion of the MLB regular season and waivers are secured, the player must be reinstated from the Injured List within 72 hours. 
NOTE: If a player on an MLB or minor league Injured List is claimed off Outright Assignment Waivers but then cannot pass a physical with the claiming club, the claiming club can request that the MLB Commissioner rescind the waiver claim, return the player to his former club, and refund the $50,000 waiver claim fee. (The MLB Commissioner also has the right to invoke additional penalties against the club the placed the injured player on waivers). 

2. With one exception, an injured player or a player rehabbing from an injury who is unable to pass a team physical can be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers only during a period of time beginning on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season up until 2 PM (Eastern) on the fourth day after the final game of the World Series. 
NOTE: If an injured player or a player rehabbing from an injury is placed on Outright Assignment Waivers anytime after 2 PM (Eastern) on the fourth day after the final game of the World Series, is claimed by another club, but then cannot pass a physical with the claiming club, the claiming club can request that the MLB Commissioner rescind the waiver claim, return the player to his former club, and refund the $50,000 waiver claim fee. (The MLB Commissioner also has the right to invoke additional penalties against the club the placed the injured player on waivers). 
EXCEPTION: An injured player who has accrued less than three years of MLB Service Time in his career and who did not accrue any MLB Service Time the previous season, has not previously been outrighted to the minors, and who was not selected in the immediately-preceding Rule 5 Draft, can be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers beginning on the day after the conclusion of the MLB regular season up until 2 PM (Eastern) on the 17th day prior to MLB Opening Day. 

RULE 5 SELECTED & DRAFT-EXCLUDED PLAYERS

1. A Rule 5 "Selected Player" cannot be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers any earlier than 2 PM (Eastern) on the 25th day prior to MLB Opening Day. 

MLB RULE 5 SELECTED PLAYERS ON CUBS MLB RESERVE LIST (updated 3-12-2021): 
NONE AT THIS TIME

2. A Rule 5 "Draft-Excluded Player" cannot be placed on Outright Assignment Waivers anytime after 2 PM (Eastern) on the fourth day after the final game of the World Series up until 2 PM (Eastern) on the 25th day prior to MLB Opening Day. 

MLB RULE 5 DRAFT-EXCLUDED PLAYERS ON CUBS MLB RESERVE LIST (updated 11-14-2023): 
Michael Arias, RHP (see NOTE)
Porter Hodge, RHP (see NOTE)
Bailey Horn, LHP (see NOTE)
Luke Little, LHP   
Luis Vazquez, INF (see NOTE)
NOTE: Once Draft-Excluded Player status is removed, Arias, Hodge, Horn, and L. Vazquez can be placed onto Outright Assignment Waivers even if he is injured up until 2 PM (Eastern) on the 17th day prior to 2024 MLB Opening Day.