Some call it Bloody Monday as all MLB teams had to remove their 60-day injured list players today by 5 pm ET, and either reinstate them, trade them or release them. The Washington Nationals had a full 40-man roster which means for every move to retain a 60-day IL player on the MLB roster — they would have to clear a 40-man spot.
The Washington Nationals had five players on the 60-Day IL going into today: Drew Millas, Mitchell Parker, PJ Poulin, Ken Waldichuk and Matt Waldron. The team ultimately kept Millas and Waldron, while Waldichuk cleared outright waivers and has elected to before a free agent. To make room for Millas and Waldron, the Nats DFA’d Jose Tena and Paxton Schultz.
Poulin happened to clear outright waivers, but had the right to file for free agency and has done so. Both Parker and Schultz were claimed by other teams with Parker going to the Braves and Schultz to the Reds.
There will be more roster moves needed coming up on Nov. 17 as Rule-5 protection will have to take place for players like Jarlin Susana and Travis Sykora at a minimum. That automatically places those players on the 40-man roster.
Instead of listing all of the Rule-5 players, letโs discuss the players where the real decisions will need to be made:
- Jarlin Susana RHP
- Travis Sykora RHP
- Max Romero Jr. C
- Alejandro Rosario RHP
- Trey Lipscomb IF
- Cayden Wallace 3B
- Phillip Glasser IF
- Cortland Lawson IF
- Chandler Champlain RHP
- Tyler Stuart RHP
- T.J. White OF
- Elijah Green OF
- Noah Dean LHP
- Thomas Schultz RHP
- Yeremy Cabrera OF
- Cristhian Vaquero OF
- Rafael Ramirez Jr. IF/OF
- Brenner Cox RHP
There are some big names on this list and many times teams gamble on whether another team would draft the player. Remember all of the back-and-forth on when the Nats drafted Griff McGarry in the Rule-5 draft last year? He didnโt even make it through Spring Training with the Nats.
The Nats wonโt protect Elijah Green or Cristhian Vaquero who were two of the highest ranked prospects in the Nats farm system. Vaquero was signed to an internationals free agent bonus of $4.925 million on January 15, 2022 and had the nickname of โThe Phenomenon,โ and unfortunately was a phenomenal fail. And for the most part, so was Green who was the Nats 1หขแต round pick in 2022 at 5แตสฐ overall in the MLB draft and a $6.5 million bonus.
In six months time in 2022, the Nats essentially wasted $11.5 million in money on acquiring both Vaquero and Green. Sure, that is part of the risk. In addition, the team used extra resources that were poured into each player, and especially with Green who was pulled out of Single-A ball twice and put into special instruction in the West Palm Beach facilities.
While the team wonโt be protecting Green and Vaquero, Toboni will have to clear more spots. And you have to wonder if Toboni protects any other player, and that will be part of the discussion this morning as well as at least three more players who will have to come off of the 40-man roster. Who will be removed from the current 40-man players?
Here are the arbitration-eligible players, and that list is smaller by three players with Richard Lovelady DFA’s yesterday, and Parker and Waldichuk DFA’d today:
- Josiah Gray (5.075): $1.6MM
- CJ Abrams (4.130): $10.2MM
- Jake Bird (3.169): $1.3MM
- Jake Irvin (3.152): $3.4MM
- Jacob Young (3.037): $2.3MM
Also, any free agents signed to MLB deals will need 40-man roster spots. Unrestricted free agency begins at 5 pm, and qualifying offers will also be announced at that time. The Nationals had no players eligible for free agency or a QO.
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