Last Friday’s trade deadline brought about a slew of DFAs as teams made room for newly acquired big leaguers. With the trades of players who’d been on Major League contracts no longer allowed post-deadline, most of these players will hit outright waivers and be made available to all 29 other clubs. (Others may simply be released.) That’s going to lead to a series of outright assignments for those who ultimately go unclaimed on waivers.
As a reminder, players with at least three but fewer than five years of service time can reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency. However, doing so requires forfeiture of any remaining guaranteed salary. Players with five or more years of MLB service time can reject an outright assignment and retain any guaranteed salary on their deals. Players with fewer than three years of service can also reject outright assignments if they’ve been previously outrighted at any point in their career. We’ll run through the latest crop of outright assignments in this post…
- Outfielder Mike Tauchman went unclaimed on outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento, the Giants announced Monday night. Tauchman crossed the three-year mark in terms of Major League service time just last week, giving him the option of rejecting the assignment should he choose. The Giants made no indication that Tauchman was rejecting, though players typically have a day or two from the time of the announcement to weigh whether to accept. Tauchman, 30, has batted just .181/.284/.283 in 191 plate appearances this season. He enjoyed a big 2019 season in the Bronx, however, and carries a generally strong track record (.309/.378/.493) in parts of five Triple-A seasons. As an outrighted player with three-plus years of service, Tauchman could become a free agent at season’s end even if he does opt to remain with the organization in Triple-A.
- The Yankees announced late last night that outfielder Ryan LaMarre went unclaimed on waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 32-year-old LaMarre has previously been outrighted, so he’ll have the option to reject the assignment should he choose, although he’s already accepted an outright assignment from the Yankees once this summer. LaMarre went 4-for-21 with a pair of homers with the Yankees’ big league club and has batted .308/.400/.479 in 135 Triple-A plate appearances. He’s a career .232/.286/.350 hitter in the Majors and a .283/.353/.420 hitter in parts of eight Triple-A seasons. LaMarre has experience at all three outfield spots but has been deployed primarily as a left fielder with the Yankees’ Triple-A club in 2021. He can be a free agent at season’s end unless added back to the roster.
- The Brewers announced that right-hander Patrick Weigel went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville. Milwaukee picked Weigel up in the April trade that sent shortstop Orlando Arcia to the Braves. He’s allowed a pair of runs in four MLB frames this year but has struggle mightily in Nashville, where he’s posted a 6.84 ERA and walked a batter per inning (20.8 percent of his total opponents) through 25 frames. Weigel lacks the service time or prior outright assignment necessary to elect free agency, so he’ll remain with the Brewers organization in Triple-A.
davemlaw
Glad Tauchman accepted the outright. Dont know if he can fix his swing but Giants are giving him the chance and that’s good.
geg42
Tauchman has a good batting eye, shown by taking an average of 4 pitches per AB. But as you put it, the swings haven’t been good lately.
tedtheodorelogan
When 2 of them are strikes and you swing and miss at fastballs down the middle it doesn’t really matter.
inkstainedscribe
Weigel clears waivers. Ian Theodore Whatever hardest hit.
usc88
Somewhat surprised the Braves didn’t claim Weigel to bring him back, but I guess the 40 -man is pretty full at this point.
FredMcGriff for the HOF
Weigel has a decent minor league record until 2020. He was rising up the Braves minor league ranks during that time. I’m surprised one of the non contenders in need of pitching didn’t claim him.
whyhayzee
The yankees are apparently auditioning cats as pinch running threats. 😉
Gasu1
That cat ran out of the base path. They teach that stuff in Little League. Horrible. #cashmanfail
Ducky Buckin Fent
In the cat’s defense, at least it showed some true NYC grit.
FredMcGriff for the HOF
That was a great video of the rogue kitty. Funny how the broadcaster kept saying just open a door then about 2 minutes later they finally opened a gate and the feline made a quick exit off the field.
Ducky Buckin Fent
Damn cat showed much more spirit than did our players.
therattler 2
Actually the cat wasn’t out of the basepath. The basepath rule only applies if someone with the ball tries to make a play on the runner.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Cat smelled something bad, it didn’t realize it was the way NY has been playing lately. & that with that new lineup, they should be kickin’ meow mix in the butt.
bobtillman
Not the first loose cat in Yankee Stadium….
A bit surprised about Weigel…but this being his last option year didn’t help. Might have been worth a claim and then subsequent waive. Since nobody claimed him from the Brewers, not likely anyone would have claimed him from anybody else.
whyhayzee
I thought for sure it would get into the Orioles bullpen. What with cats and birds. Oh well, couldn’t quite scale the wall.
itsmeheyhi
Little guy was so close!
LordD99
That cat has some wild moves. I think one of the NY football teams should give it an audition.
bobtillman
The cat was looking for the state’s governor.
Or maybe trying to get away….
angt222
Shocking the Mets didn’t claim Tauchman with their injury woes and Nimmo appearing to need an IL stint.
Baseball 1600
Tauchman is a defensive replacement late game and is more of a corner OF than a CF, that being said his corner OF defense is sensational.
YankeesBleacherCreature
So Juan Lagares.
Monkey’s Uncle
The Brewers giving themselves a little Wiegel room on the 40 man roster…
Bob333
The Giants will begin the famous Kapler slide this month